Bleeding Heart
by ThirdtotheLeft
Summary: Sanji meets a starving father and his son and offers his assistance in the kitchen. He only plans to help the poor family, but never expected for feelings to arise.
1. Chapter 1

The man is starving, that much is clear. He's tall, just a bit shorter than Sanji—maybe an inch or two, at that—but with wide shoulders giving off a sense of raw power and great strength. However, he's exhausted: his feet drag on the floor, his eyes barely stay open, and his hand shakes when it grips the spoon Sanji hands him.

"Eat slowly," Sanji snaps, glaring at the man over his shoulder. He's wearing a dark hoodie hiding most of his face and faded, torn jeans. His shoes are ripping at the seams and the backpack lying at the man's feet is mostly tape, the rough material patching up multiple holes and rips.

The man snorts, but obeys, moving to tear a piece of bread off with his teeth. He grabs the glass Sanji set in front of him and swallows the water, not waiting to first swallow the piece of bread.

"Who the fuck taught you manners?" Sanji growls, flicking his cigarette before taking another drag.

Again, the man doesn't answer, but he's more careful when he picks up his spoon again. At least this time, he doesn't pick up the bowl of soup and tips it over like he did at first. Sanji rolls his eyes and continues putting up the leftover food in plastic containers. Maybe he can give a few of them to the guy. He doesn't like wasting food, and usually he uses the leftovers to feed himself, but it isn't like he will go hungry if he gives them away.

No, Sanji isn't a bleeding heart, but he isn't heartless either. He hums a little tuneless tune, discarding his cigarette in the glass ashtray the old man gave him on his eighteenth birthday. Speaking of the old man, Sanji should probably let him now he's going to give away the leftover food. He's sure the geezer is going to harp about giving away the plastic containers, but he won't outright tell Sanji no.

"I'm gonna go upstairs," Sanji tells his silent guest. "Don't do anything."

No response, but he didn't expect one. He snaps on the last lid, stacking the container on top of another one, and smooths out his apron as he walks out of the kitchen and up the stairs that connect the restaurant to the top office. There is an employee's bathroom upstairs, as well as a couple of rooms Sanji and the old man sometimes use when the restaurant is too busy.

Zeff is in his room, seated behind the old desk he bought when Sanji was still young, while he pours over bills and paperwork.

"Hey old man, I got a guest," Sanji says, leaning against the doorframe. His foster father doesn't look up, but he grunts in acknowledgment.

"He was pretty hungry, so I gave him some of the onion soup that was left over," Sanji continues. "And I'll give him the scraps from today as well."

"Make sure he returns those containers. I'm not buying more Tupperware for you to give away to punks," Zeff growls, looking up to glare at his son.

"Yeah, fine," Sanji shrugs. "Go to sleep, old man. You're gonna go blind."

"My eyesight is far better than yours, eggplant."

Sanji frowns at the nickname, but doesn't comment. He doesn't want to push his luck, since the older blonde didn't make a scene about the Tupperware. He should probably grab some bags for the guy to put his food in—nah, he can put it in his backpack. They are running short on the brown paper bags with the Baratie's logo on them, and he doesn't want to use them up on the ill-mannered man.

"Hey, I'll give you some—." Sanji stops, staring at the empty table. His eyes snap to the sink where the spoon, bowl, and tall glass have been washed. Badly, but at least the man made the effort. His eyes move over to the counter, at once noticing the missing containers.

"This motherfucker," he growls, walking up to the counter. He instantly zeroes in on the paper that replaced his leftovers.

There, written in surprisingly clean lettering is a note:

 _Thank you for the food._

He doesn't stop thinking about the note for days. Who the fuck does that bastard think he is, stealing from Sanji Black, Sous Chef of the Baratie?! The guy must have a death wish. Sanji chooses not to dwell on the fact that he had already planned on giving the guy the food. That doesn't matter. The guy stole it, even after Sanji was kind enough to give him food and shelter in the first place. What kind of ungrateful, shitty bastard does something like that? Who bites the hand that feeds them?—literally!

Not only did he steal, but then Sanji had to buy new Tupperware from his pocket money! That guy is gonna fucking pay him back! Sanji is going to find him and kick him in his goddamn smug face until he throws up the few morsels he ate. Of course, he has no idea who the guy is. He didn't get a good look at his face, nor did the man give him a name. He doesn't even have a voice to go with him. The only thing Sanji knows about him is that he owns a pair of torn black jeans, ripped shoes, and a taped backpack. Not much to go with, he can admit, but it's something, at least.

"Sanji! Are you going to keep staring at that onion, or are you gonna fucking cut it?" the shitty geezer's voice cuts through is musings, bringing him back to the Baratie's kitchen.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm doing it!" Sanji yells, starting the clean, elegant slices.

"He's still moping," Carne snickers. "Cause the man got robbed blind!"

"Keep talking Carne, and I'll filet that ugly mug of yours!" Sanji snaps.

"Mr. Black! Compliments to the chef from table four. The patron wants to personally deliver," Olga exclaims excitedly, bouncing on her feet in front of the Sous Chef.

"Thank you, Olga!" Sanji smiles, all traces of irritation gone. "I'm right behind you."

The pretty hostess leads him back into the dining room, directly to table four. Not that he needs it: he knows the Baratie's layout by memory.

He's not surprised to see a black-haired beauty seated on table four, a blue-haired man accompanying her.

"Ah, Robin-chwan! Is such a pleasure to see you," Sanji smiles, bowing and kissing her hand.

"You too, Sanji," she answers. "Today's entre was delicious—not that it ever isn't."

"It was super good!" the blue-haired man agrees.

"Thank you, Franky" Sanji says.

"It's good seeing you again, Sanji," Robin says, extending her hand for him to kiss again.

"Likewise," Sanji smiles, leaning back to place his hands in his pockets. "The meal is on the house. Except you, Franky. You pay."

"Not cool, bro!"

Sanji snorts, leaving the couple alone. He stops at a couple of other tables, greeting the customers warmly and offering recommendations to new patrons. He grabs the platter of dirty dishes from Apis hands, offering to deliver them to the dish boy himself, and then steps out for his cigarette break.

He takes out the small note Robin handed him, frowning at the message. Then, he lights a match and lights a cigarette, before catching the note on fire. He watches it burn, cigarette firmly held between his lips, until the ashes blend with those of his cigarette. Soon, there is nothing left.

Sanji likes to use his days off to try out new recipes. A good cook is always learning, and Sanji is a hell of a cook. He started with the neighboring business, picking out each thing from the menu every time he went, then retrying them at home. Sometimes—far and few in between—he doesn't make any changes. More often than not, he has to add his own little flair to it, making it a thousand times better.

His newest target is a little coffee shop a couple of miles away from the Baratie. It isn't much, but it serves pretty good pastries, and Sanji has already recreated a couple of them. This time, he's planning on trying the pie, since it's often advertised in the little blackboard they keep by the entrance. Shells Coffee Shop is nestled between an insurance company and a thrift shop, so it doesn't get much traffic. It has a cozy atmosphere, though, and Sanji actually enjoys eating there.

When he arrives at the small coffee shop, one of their employees is outside writing the day's specials. The man has shocking green hair, the color contrasting sharply with the bright magenta collared shirt and tan pants that is the coffee shop's uniform. With three plain, black studs on his left ear, as well as an angry scowl that ruins his face, the man looks more like a thug than a barista.

Sanji snorts, earning a glare from the man, and walks inside the shop. Instantly, he's greeted by the pretty black-haired waitress.

"Hello, sir! Would you like a seat?" she asks amicably.

"Why, thank you, mademoiselle," Sanji smiles, making the girl smile. She's probably about fifteen, but she's an efficient worker. At least, she doesn't make as much a mess as Apis.

"I'll give the apple pie a try today," Sanji says, waiting for the girl to write down his order before he adds a coffee for a drink.

"Right away, sir!" she says, saluting before rushing to relay the order to the kitchen.

The bell above the door rings, but it's only the green-haired employee walking in, so Sanji ignores him. Soon, the girl is back with a slice of pie and a steaming cup of coffee, setting it in front of Sanji with a bright 'enjoy!'

He takes the first bite, expecting the ripe sweetness of apples, but instead almost chokes as bitter saltiness overpowers his tastes buds.

"Holy shit," he curses, taking a large gulp of coffee to get rid of the taste—but the same thing was done to the cup, and Sanji is unable to stop himself from spitting out the bitter liquid.

"Dude! What gives? I just moped," the green-haired man complains, his voice deep and low.

"Oh my god!" the waitress exclaims, gaping at Sanji and the mess he made.

"I'm so sorry!" Sanji apologizes quickly, blushing bright pink. "It's just—I mean, I was surprised!"

The waitress gasps, instantly slapping a hand over her mouth as the action causes the punk to turn to her, eyes narrowed. "Rika…did you use salt instead of sugar again?"

"I'm sorry!" the girl—Rika—exclaims. "Oh gosh! I'll bring you something else really quick, sir! I'm so sorry! It's just…they look so much alike!"

"That's okay," Sanji says stopping the girl before she can take his plate away. "It's lovely. I was just surprised by the taste, really. I'll finish it."

Rika stares at him, surprised. She glances back at her coworker, who shrugs, then back at Sanji. "Are you sure?"

"Definitely. It was cooked with love, so not a morsel shall be wasted," Sanji says firmly, taking another bite. It tastes like shit, but it's totally worth it when a bright smile appears in the girl's face.

"Thank you! It took me a long time to make the crust, too! I'm really glad you like it," she smiles, then rushes back into the kitchen, a bounce in her step.

"You didn't have to do that," the green-haired man finally says, moving to start moping the coffee Sanji spilled.

"I don't waste food," Sanji says firmly. The man gives him a sidelong glance, but doesn't say anything else. He goes inside the kitchen when he's done, probably to help out in the back, and Rika comes back outside when more customers start walking in.

Sanji is somehow able to finish his slice of pie and his cup of coffee. He pays for it, and even leaves a tip for the girl—her service is great, even if her cooking isn't. She waves goodbye when he leaves, and he smiles and waves back. He glances at the little blackboard, noticing it is advertising the pie and laughs, thinking of the other customers' surprise when they taste the saltiness. He hopes no one will insult the food, though. It's truly a great sin for a chef's food to be insulted. Sanji can't see how—

He stops, body frozen in the middle of the street. Some guy curses him out, but Sanji ignores him, turning around to face the little coffee shop again. He takes a couple of steps forward, just enough to read the writing, the lettering surprisingly neat.

 _Today's Special:_  
 _Homemade Apple Pie_

He waits two days. He figures that is enough time for the green-haired punk to forget his face. Sanji doesn't want to cause any trouble for Shells Coffee Shop, but that shitty bastard is going to get it, one way or another. He doesn't exactly know what he's going to do to the guy—maybe kick him around a little, maybe demand that he pay for the food he stole—but he's going to do something. Nobody steals from him, he's Sanji fucking Black, Sous Chef of the finest restaurant in all of Paradise!

With his half-thought out plan of revenge, he decides to follow the guy. Better to beat him up in his own house than in the middle of the street where some cops might see him. But the green-haired bastard is tricky. He must've noticed that someone is following him, because he tries to shake Sanji off, going around in circles for almost half an hour, then taking side streets and useless shortcuts. At the end, it takes close to two hours to get to his apartment.

The man lives in the poorer side of town, in a twelve-floor apartment. It's the kind of place where the walls are shared. There is an elevator, but the man walks completely past it, so Sanji decides not to risk it. He makes sure to keep at least a floor between himself and his target, climbing up to the fifth floor before the man disappears behind a ratty door labeled with a large 5B.

Despite the late hours, he can still hear a couple arguing somewhere on the lower floor, the heavy clanking of cooking pots, a child crying over a stressed mother, and the slick and wet sounds of sex from the door closest to him. He decides not to pay attention to that, especially since both moaning voices are disturbingly low and grating.

He discards his cigarette and immediately lights another one, taking a deep drag as he walks up to the once blue door. He let the smoke out in rings as he knocks politely.

"I'm coming!" Sanji recognizes the gruff, husky voice and rolls his center of gravity to his right leg, tapping the floor lightly with his left shoe. "Hey, Usopp! I'm—fuck!"

The man answers the door with a small frown, before recognition flashes behind dark green eyes. The man makes as if to slam the door close, but Sanji had expected the reaction and strikes quickly, his foot connecting squarely with the door and sending the man flying.

"Nice place you got here, marimo," he says conversationally, giving a quick once over. The whole place smaller than his living room. There is a scrappy kitchen—if it can be called that—taking up most of the far left wall. It has just the basics: a fridge, a stove, and a sink. Sanji guesses the man is using the bar that separates it from the main floor as a dining table, because he doesn't own one. There is a ratty couch facing Sanji and an antenna TV resting on one of those metal, foldable chairs. There is a door on the back wall, which probably leads to the bedroom and/or bathroom. Sanji doesn't know or cares.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" the man snarls, getting to his feet in the two seconds it takes Sanji to sweep his gaze over the entire room.

"What? I missed you," Sanji says sarcastically, stalking inside the apartment.

"Get the fuck out of my—oof!" Sanji cuts off the man with a well-place kick to the sternum, shoving the man back to slam against the yellowing fridge. Fuck, this place is really small!

"Don't fuck with me," Sanji growls, leaning in close to spit the words into the man's face, foot still pressing painfully into his breast bone. "You shitty thief."

The punk glares back, his mouth twisting into a scowl that is half pain, half embarrassment. "What do you want?" he finally spits out, his glare demanding.

"I want my damn Tupperware back," Sanji snarls, ignoring the surprise that flashes behind the thief's eyes. "And you're gonna pay me back for that food you stole, you ungrateful little shit. That would've been 150 Beri if you had ordered it at the restaurant."

"Are you fucking kidding me? They were fucking leftovers!" the man complains, pushing back against Sanji. The cook is surprised that the man manages to make him stumble, but he has yet to lose in a battle of strength where his legs are concerned, so he simply pushes back harder, enjoying the little gasp of pain that escapes the man.

"I don't give a fuck. Pay me back or I'll fucking have your ass arrested," Sanji threatens. "Is this how you fucking say thanks, you shitty moss? I fucking feed you and you steal my food? What kind of shitty person does that?!"

That strikes a nerve. The man tenses underneath him and his scowl deepens even as he looks away from Sanji. "Fine," he grits out. "I'll fucking pay you back. Take your goddamn foot off my chest first, you shit cook."

"Like that wasn't the best food you've ever had, bastard," Sanji scoffs. He drops his leg, but not before blowing a mouthful of smoke into the man's face just to be spiteful. The man coughs, glaring at Sanji, but doesn't say anything. Serves him fucking right.

"Turn around, curly. I'm gonna get my money," the man snaps.

Sanji rolls his eyes. "I bet I can buy your whole place with what I have in my pocket right now," he snorts, but obeys. It gives him the chance to study the place more. He's no stranger to poverty, but it has been a long time since he last experienced a lack of anything.

The place is surprisingly clean, considering that state of the entire building. At least, there is no junk food or dirty clothes littering the floor. The only thing that does look out of place are a couple of books stacked on the coffee table in front of the couch, and a woolen blanket thrown over the back of the couch. Though poor, the guy is not doing that bad, all things considered. Sanji has definitely gone through much worse. At least the shitty moss has food in the house—he does have food in the house, doesn't he?

His eyes fall on the fridge in front of him. It had once been white, but the rough surface is now a darkening, yellowish color. The handle is missing and the rubber suction that keeps the cool air from escaping is starting to peel off. The man has a couple of bills held to the freezer door with a ladybug magnet. He smiles at the oddly endearing object, noticing the other matching pair. A smiling bee is holding up a bright pink slip, the bold last notice warning instantly catching the eye. A pink and blue butterfly is holding up a white slip, this one with a bright 'Good job!' sticker taped to the right top hand corner.

Oh god. No…fuck no. Sanji shudders, feeling his breath stutter in his lungs, his heart hammering a thousand beats per second. His hands, suddenly clammy and shaky, reach out to open the refrigerator door, his eyes instantly scanning the inside for essentials. The man has a half-gallon of milk, a couple of rotting tomatoes in the bottom drawer, multiple take out containers stacked in the corner, an opened bag of ham, two beers, a two gallon of coke, a large jar of mayonnaise, and a 10 pack carton of eggs with only three eggs inside.

The door suddenly slams close, and Sanji jumps back, narrowingly missing a fridge door to the face.

"Here's your fucking money," the man snarls, shoving a stack of money into his hands along with the Tupperware containers. "I can't find one of the lids, but I'll buy you another one and drop it off at the restaurant. Now get the fuck out of my house."

Sanji stares at the money in his hands, feeling bile in his throat. It's a large stack, since most of the bills are ones with the odd ten thrown in. The containers have been washed, the lids stuck inside one of the bigger ones.

"Take it back," Sanji croaks, shoving the money and containers back into the man's hands. "J-just—fuck—forget it."

"Hey, what's your goddamn problem?" the man snaps. "Just fucking take it!"

"N-no," Sanji stutters, eyes falling back on the bright _'Good Job!'_ sticker. The man follows his gaze, and Sanji feels rather than hears the sharp intake of breath.

"I don't need your fucking pity," the man snarls, anger palpable. "Take your goddamn stuff and leave me the fuck alone!"

"Fuck you," Sanji says automatically, moving in autopilot. He snatches the Tupperware from the man, striking out with a quick kick to push the man back and makes his escape. He hears the man curse behind him, but ignores him and rushes out of the apartment, almost fleeing.

"Hey, you fucking bastard! Come back!"

Sanji ignores the angered screaming, running down the stairs and skipping steps in his haste to get away. The churning in his stomach is going to make him sick, and he can still feel his hands shaking as they grip the Tupperware to his chest. His mind has shut down in an attempt to drown out the memories that threaten to resurface, and his heart is hammering like a hummingbird, almost as if reminding him that he's alive.

He remembers the frantic eating of the man with a new light, and he finally stops in his mad rush to get as far away from the apartment complex as he can. He squeezes his eyes shut, squatting down and curling into a protective ball, his stomach twisting painfully.

"Come on Sanji," he whispers harshly, digging the heel of his palms into his eyes angrily. "Get a hold of yourself."

He finally opens his eyes and stares at the ground, forcing is body to calm down as his mind replays the events in slow motion. Entering the apartment, demanding his money, seeing that slip of paper—he curses and digs into his breast pocket for another cigarette. The hit of nicotine instantly calms his frayed nerves. With the smoke clearing his mind, Sanji makes his decision.

He stands up slowly, smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles as he does, and drags his fingers through his hair. He takes in a deep breath of clean air, flicks the end of his cigarette, and begins walking again.

He has a breakfast to plan.

Sanji wakes well before sunrise to prepare breakfast. He usually only prepares a light and fruity oatmeal for himself, sometimes going for an energizing banana smoothie, but this time he needs something more substantial. He works seamlessly, checking the croissants he has in the toaster, before pulling out the blueberry muffins from the oven. He places them in a rack to cool, then grabs a cutting board and begins cutting apples and watermelon into star-shapes. He grabs his blue bento box, one of his favorites, and scoops a little egg salad on top of the lettuce boat taking over one of the square slots. He hesitates before adding two chocolate cookies, but most of the bento box is vegetables, so they won't do much harm.

His toaster dings, the croissants popping up nice and crunchy. He slices a couple of slices of smoked ham and cheddar cheese, making a sandwich with his croissants. Next, he blends some banana, pineapple, mango, ice, orange juice, and chia seeds into a healthy smoothie and pours it inside two thermos. Next, he grabs the already-prepared freshly squeezed orange juice from the fridge.

Done. A nice and healthy breakfast and lunch box. Years of practice make it easy to maneuver the multiple containers into his car. He does have to drive a little bit slower to make sure the liquid containers don't spill, but the moss only lives about forty-minutes away, so it isn't that bad.

The apartment complex looks even worse in the rising sun light. There are a couple of kids playing in the empty lot next to the building, and two older, heavy women sitting on rocking chairs by the main doors. They eye him curiously as he makes his way inside, platter of food held precariously in one hand.

"Hey, blondie! Bring that over here!" someone shouts, but Sanji ignores them. It seems like the early morning doesn't bother many people here, since the halls are busy with tenants going about their daily business. Most doors are open, probably to allow a little breeze in, and Sanji can see that most apartments share the same layout as the shitty moss'.

The door marked 5B is closed. Sanji steps in front of it, hesitating for only a second, before sharply knocking. There is a loud groan, a muffled thump, and then the sound of locks unbolting.

"What do you—fuck off!" the talking moss spits, sleepiness disappearing at the sight of Sanji.

"Good morning," Sanji says, pushing past the man and walking inside the apartment. He doesn't want to show the man how nervous he is, and the debonair attitude always seems to throw people off. "Delivery from the shitty restaurant. Where's the kid?"

"Wha—? You—! Get the fuck out of my apartment!" the man yells angrily, pointing an accusing finger at Sanji.

"I didn't know what time school started, so I might be a little early," Sanji continues, ignoring the angry man in front of him. He looks through the cabinets on top of the stove until he finds a couple of plates and glasses and begins pulling out the breakfast he prepared. "Are you allergic to anything? Lactose intolerant? No? Well, go on and get the mini moss. Breakfast will get cold, shit head!"

The man stares at him, slack-jawed, hands held helplessly in front of him as if to physically stop Sanji. "You—."

"Dad?"

Sanji's eyes snap to the door he saw before. A small, straggly-haired boy with huge, round brown eyes stares at Sanji from the door; Sanji cocks his head in confusion.

"Aren't you hiding the wrong way?" he asks kindly. The boy jumps with a tiny gasp and instantly rushes to correct his stance, brown eyes staring at Sanji over the edge.

The moss head sighs, rubbing at his temple. "Come out here, Chopper. This is…er…"

"Sanji," the cook says helpfully.

"Yeah, Sanji." The moss head rolls his eyes, but he seems to have given up in trying to get rid of him. "He brought breakfast."

"Is it candy?" Chopper gasps, forgetting about his fear of strangers in his rush to see the food.

"It's not candy. These are blueberry muffins," Sanji says, helping the kid settle in the tall chair in front of the bar where he laid out plates. "And a smoothie. Do you like pineapples?"

"What are pineapples?" Chopper asks, staring wide-eyed at the food. "Does it taste like apples?"

"Uh, not really," Sanji shrugs. "Go on, take a sip."

The kid obeys, eyes growing even wider at the first taste of the bitter-sweet drink. "Wow. Dad, come drink some! It's so good."

"Here, marimo. You get a cheese and ham sandwich," Sanji says, nodding to the plate he made for the other man.

"My name is Zoro," the marimo mutters, but the fight seems to have left him. He sits down next to his son and Sanji stares at the odd couple in disbelief.

They look nothing alike. Chopper is small and slender, his hair a sandy brown and eyes tender and dewy. He has the frame of someone who will grow up to be long-legged and nimble and will probably never lose his childlike naivety. Zoro is the complete opposite. His gaze is penetrating, deep-set green eyes seemingly darkened with perpetual suspicion. His body is muscled, but his movements are light and graceful. His skin is tan and rough, proof of years of hard labor and physical strain. His sharp, strong facial features are overlooked, the deep scowl that seems permanently etched in the man's forehead taking front and center. This is a man who is harsh and calloused, a man that has no business being the father of such a tender-looking child.

"There's blue candy in my muffins!" Chopper exclaims, staring at his food in awe.

"Those are blueberries," Zoro says and smiles. Ah…there it is. The smile lessens the scowl—Sanji doubts it will ever leave the man's face—giving him a much younger appearance. It's not tender, such a word can never be used to describe the man in front of him, but it's…softer.

"I made you a lunch box, too," Sanji says, opening said lunchbox for Chopper to inspect. "Cherry tomatoes and baby carrots, chocolate cookies, egg salad, and strawberries and cream. He's not allergic to anything, is he?" he asks, turning to Zoro.

"No," the man answers, giving him a look the cook is unable to scrutinize.

"Yay!" Chopper squeals. "You're the best, Mr. Sanji! This is even better than the food Dad brought before."

Sanji smirks and Zoro winces at the theft reminder. "Yeah. If you're done, go get ready for school, Chopper. Your teacher will kill me if you're late again."

"Okay," Chopper says readily, jumping from his perch. "See ya' later, Mr. Sanji!"

"Bye, bye Chopper," Sanji smiles.

Zoro waits until the wooden door is closed to turn on Sanji, glaring at the man who invaded his home. "What the hell is your deal, shit cook?"

"What do you mean?" Sanji smirks, purposely evading the question.

"This! First you demand I pay you back for the food I took, then you come over and feed me? Are you touched in the head or something?" Zoro snarls.

"First of all, I came to feed your son. You're just in the way," Sanji snaps. "And second of all, you didn't just take the food, you stole it."

"Fine, whatever. Still doesn't explain the sudden one-eighty." Zoro crosses his arms and glares, making sure Sanji understands he won't budge until he gets a satisfying answer.

Sanji sighs and grabs the dirty dishes. Honestly, he doesn't have an answer for Zoro. He isn't a person of introspect, doesn't like delving too deep into his own thoughts. The biggest stranger in his life is himself, so he can understand Zoro's confusion. He's a man known for his ever-changing emotions, being able to switch from one end of the spectrum to the extreme opposite in seconds. His reasoning is simple: he doesn't like seeing people go hungry.

Seeing Zoro eat like a drowning man breathing that night in the restaurant had sat wrong in his mind, brought out too many memories best left alone. If he's being honest with himself, it's probably the reason why he had gotten so mad at the man for stealing his food. But he could've keep lying to himself if there had been no child involved. Seeing that report card on the freezer door, facing the possibility of a kid going through the same hell he had—he can't accept it.

"I'm a cook. I feed the hungry." Sanji finally settles his thoughts, a little annoyed at the green-haired man for making him take a deeper look at his thoughts. "You have a problem with that?"

"Yeah. I'm not some charity case; I don't need your fucking pity," Zoro growls, hands tightening around the back of his chair.

"It's not pity," Sanji begins.

"Bullshit," Zoro says flatly.

"Call it what you want, then," Sanji snaps. He doesn't need to scrutinize this. He doesn't want to scrutinize it. Why can't Zoro just leave it alone? He's getting free food out of the deal. "Messiah complex, extreme narcissism…whatever you wanna call it, it's feeding your child."

"I'm feeding my kid, I don't need your help," Zoro growls. "You can say whatever you want about me, but I take care of my kid!"

"The poor kid doesn't know what a goddamn _pineapple_ is, you shitty moss!" Sanji yells, fed up. "Shoving crappy takeout down his throat isn't feeding him. You might as well blend every fucking disease in the world and force feed it with a tube down his throat!"

"Fuck you!" Zoro shoots back, hands grabbing Sanji's upper arms, pushing him back until his back hits the counter painfully. "Who the fuck—? You don't know—fuck!" His arms are shaking, his teeth gnawing at his lower lip painfully. Sanji can see fury and helplessness swirling behind his dark eyes, and he takes a moment to muse at the fact that he's able to read this man better than he reads himself.

"I just want to feed you," Sanji says softly, meeting Zoro's gaze unwaveringly. "I can help. I just—I can't let you go hungry."

Zoro's gaze lowers, fixing on a spot somewhere on Sanji's shoulder. His jaw is locked painfully, his hands bruising on Sanji's arms. "Why?" The question is almost silent, a slip of the tongue.

"Huh?"

"Why help me?" Zoro asks, dark eyes snapping back to meet Sanji's. It's a gaze that locks you down, holds you down and demands honesty.

Sanji is bound to comply. "I don't know."

The answer doesn't satisfy him, but Zoro seems to get what he wanted from it, because he nods and steps back, finally loosening his grip. "Food. That's it. Got it?"

"Whatever, marimo."

Zoro snorts, and the sound seems to break the tension. Sanji hadn't realized how hard it had been to breathe just a moment ago. His hands scramble for a cigarette, silently asking Zoro's permission before he lights it inside the house. The rush of nicotine is calming, slowly bringing back the cool and aloof image he had worked hard to create.

"What time does Chopper get off school? I can pick him up and—."

"He stays at a friend's house until I get off work," Zoro interrupts, busying himself by drying the dishes Sanji unconsciously washed during their little tiff. "We'll both be here around seven."

"Well, I can give you both a ride to—."

"We'll ride the bus."

Sanji opens his mouth, to say what he doesn't know, but is interrupted a third time by Chopper.

"I'm ready!" he exclaims, hands on tiny hips. He's wearing navy pants and a bright, white shirt. The tail is tucked in, his pants held up by a thick, leather belt. His backpack, unlike his father's, looks almost brand new. It's clear that Zoro cares more about his son's appearance that he does his own.

"You combed your hair?"

"Yup."

"Washed your hands?"

"Twice."

"Teeth?"

"Squeaky clean."

"Homework?"

"Backpack."

"Good job. C'mon, we're gonna miss the bus," Zoro says, patting his son's head. "Let's go, cook. I'll walk you out."

"Don't forget your lunch box, Chopper," Sanji tells the excited little kid as he follows them out, handing him the brown paper bag containing the lunch and juice he prepared. Zoro locks the door behind them.

"Are you going to come back tomorrow, Mr. Sanji?"

"Just call me Sanji, kid. And I'll be back tonight to give some dinner," Sanji promises. The kid's smile is infectious; he has no idea how Zoro can keep a frown on his face at all times.

"Really?! Are you gonna bring me candy?"

"Well, you already got some chocolate cookies in your lunch, so no. I'll get you some candied grapes tomorrow, alright?"

"Okay!"

"Any requests from you, Marimo?" Sanji asks, glancing back at the green-haired man. He has his hands buried in washed out jeans, deep scowl settled on his face as he glares at the few people still out in the hall.

"Food," Zoro says flatly, and Sanji rolls his eyes.

"Chopper! Hurry up!" a tall kid with short-cropped black hair calls from the street corner, where a dozen or so other kids stand waiting for the bus.

"I'm coming, Biyo!" Chopper shouts, waving at his friend. "Bye, Sanji!" Chopper says to the cook. "Thank you for the food. It was really good."

Sanji laughs. "Thanks Chopper. Have fun at school."

"Listen to your teachers!" Zoro yells after his kid. "And don't let Chip and Dip talk you into any more trouble! And if that Timmy kid keeps bothering you, punch him in the face!"

"Dad! I'm not gonna get into fights!"

"At least kick him when the teacher's not looking."

"No!"

Sanji snorts, watching Chopper join his friends to be instantly enveloped by an overexcited group of kids. "Figured your kid would be the sensible one."

"That Timmy kid keeps pushing him around," Zoro mutters. "Chopper doesn't want me to get involved, but…I don't care how fucking rich his parents are, if he keeps messing with my son, I'll beat that whole fucking family up."

Sanji drops his cigarette, killing the flame with the sole of his shoe. "He's a smart kid. I'm actually surprised, I expected some tiny annoying mini you."

"He's more like his mom," Zoro murmurs.

Sanji wants to ask about Chopper's mom. He didn't see any sign of another person living in Zoro's apartment, but maybe he had missed her? Had Zoro and her divorced? Is she dead? Where is she now? He feels Zoro won't answer if he asks, so he keeps quiet.

"I need to go, or I'll be late for work," Zoro says, awkwardly looking everywhere but at Sanji. "See ya, I guess…"

"I'll be here at seven," Sanji says firmly. Zoro gives him another look, one of those that Sanji finds hard to interpret, before walking away. Sanji bites his lip, fighting the urge to shout out an insult. Zoro has some kind of unshakable calmness around him that irks Sanji, makes him want to rile him up. The man is obviously younger than him, maybe a year or two, but despite his poor living conditions and money problems, he seems to have life already figured out.

He's Sanji's antithesis in every sense of the word, and Sanji has not failed to notice the thinly veiled contempt the other man seems to hold against him.

He returns to the Baratie, taking a peg leg to the head for coming in late. The old man seems to notice something is bothering him, though, so they keep their arguing to the bare minimum. It's in moments like this, when he's in his element—hands mindlessly grilling, sautéing, braising, frying, or whatever it's that he's invested in at the moment—that his mind is able to settle, mirroring a distorted image of what Zoro is so easily able to accomplish.

He doesn't stay until closing, calling it a day before happy hour hit. He wants to do some grocery shopping for Zoro, but he still has the small favor Robin asked him to do.

Luckily, it doesn't take long, and the sun is still in the sky by the time he hits the local grocery shop. He still has a little over an hour until he has to get back to Zoro's, but he's planning on cooking in the man's place, so he doesn't have to rush.

He filled his shopping cart with vegetables and grains, his mind instantly providing him the health and dietary advantages of each produce that goes into his cart. Rye for baking, oats and quinoa for whole grains, maybe some amaranth. Leafy, green vegetables and citrus for vitamin C; yogurt, milk, cheese for vitamin A and D, as well as calcium. Add some lean meat, a variety of nuts, don't forget the peanut butter and bananas. Olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, canola oil, plenty of kale, two cartons of brown eggs, maybe some fish, turkey and ham.

He will definitely need new cooking pans, a couple of baking pans, some pots and lids, a new set of knives, a hand mixer, a blender—does the marimo own a toaster? Add that too.

In the end, he ends up with two carts, one holding all of his grocery and the second one with enough utensils to stock a new kitchen. He doesn't want to waste any time cooking the food at his house, then driving it to Zoro's. And he can't very well keep his stuff at Zoro's either. Besides, maybe if the moss head has quality pans, he won't hesitate to cook an egg or something in the morning if he ever needs to.

The acne-faced teenager rolls his eyes and sighs when Sanji rolls up to his line. "You sure you got everything?" he asks sarcastically.

Sanji narrows his eyes. "Better fucking keep scanning before I shove those carrots up your ass, buddy."

The boy jumps, blushes, and smartly keeps quiet this time. Sanji hands him his credit card when he's done and steps up to help the pretty bagger. He accepts her offer to help him get the second cart to his car, if only to keep praising her beauty.

His mustang's trunk is too small to fit all of the groceries, so he places the second half in the back seat, with the eggs and loafs of bread in the seat next to his. The clock on his dashboard already reads fourteen 'til seven, and by the time he parks in the apartment complex's parking lot, it hits 7:09.

"Shit…how am I gonna get all of this upstairs?" he muses, glancing at the bags on his backseat through the rearview mirror. "That shitty moss better be here already."

Zoro is not at home, but Sanji only has to wait a couple of minutes before the familiar green-hair is seen climbing up the stairs, chatty Chopper in tow.

"Sanji!" Chopper exclaims, jumping excitedly. "Hi!"

"Hey, Chopper," Sanji grins, butting out his cigarette before he greets the kid. "Help me bring some stuff from my car, moss head," he says to the father.

"Eh? Can't you do it yourself, curly?"

Sanji's eyes narrow at the quip about his eyebrow. "Run that by me again, you shit moss?"

"I said, _can't you fucking do it yourself_ , dartboard brow?"

"Oi, who the fuck you think you're talking to, you shitty punk?"

"You, crap cook!"

"Wanna fucking go, fuck face?"

"Anytime, jackass!"

"Dad!" Chopper yells, stopping the arguing adults. "No fighting in the hallway! Mr. Morgan already said that if you keep fighting, he'll raise the rent!"

"Listen to your kid, marimo. Kid's smarter than you," Sanji smirks, watching with glee as Zoro struggles to regain his calm composure. So something can rile him up, huh? "Come help me out. You too, Chopper."

"Okay!"

"So how was school?"

The kid almost chats Sanji's ear off as they head downstairs to his car. Sanji doesn't know how anyone can talk that much, but the kid just keeps ranting off about what Chip and Dip did, or how Sugar brought her toys for the whole class to share. By the time they see Sanji's car in the parking lot, he knows that Gina's brother is the coolest guy in the world, Momo strongly believes he's a dragon, Chimney dyed her cat blue (which is actually a rabbit), and Ginko has a crush on Momo.

"What the hell is all of this, Cook?" Zoro gasps when they sees the pile of groceries inside Sanji's car.

"Food. It's easier for me to cook in your house," Sanji shrugs. "Shut your mouth and help me out. I got perishables in there."-

"This is too much," Zoro hisses at him, but begins grabbing bags.

"This is the stuff you're supposed to buy, moron," Sanji gripes. "Now, put those muscles to use and load up. Chopper, I have a carton of eggs and a loaf of bread in the front seat. Get if for me, please?"

"Wow, Sanji! Is this all for us?" the little kid gasps, watching in awe as his father grabs bags full of green vegetables, bright fruits, grains, and spices he had never seen. "Are we gonna have a buffet? Shouldn't we invite Luffy?"

"No one's telling that damn glutton about this," Zoro snaps instantly.

"This is for the whole month, Chopper," Sanji explains to the little kid. "Tonight's dinner will be fish sticks with roasted potatoes and mac and cheese. Then we'll make some granola bars for you to snack on in school. Wanna help me out?"

"I love mac and cheese!" Chopper squeals. "Can we have ice cream for dessert?"

"Not tonight. I'll get you something light and healthy before you go to bed, but I'll make sure to make some vanilla ice cream for you to take to school and eat at lunch, okay?"

"You'll _make_ some ice cream?" Zoro snorts. "Who even knows how ice cream is made?"

"I do, shit moss," Sanji snaps. "I know how to do anything you can ever think of, just try me."

"Wow! Can I learn how to make ice cream?"

"Of course, Chopper."

It takes them two trips to get everything inside. Sanji instructs Zoro on how to put up all of the groceries while helping Chopper prepare the meal. While it's just fish sticks, baked potato wedges, and mac and cheese, nothing Sanji make is ever simple.

The fish sticks he makes from white fish, coating them with a bran and almond mixture, before popping them in the oven. He makes the marinara sauce to go with them as well. The potato wedges are sprinkled with garlic and salt to add flavor, and for the mac and cheese he makes sure to use whole wheat macaroni and reduced-fat cheddar. He adds yogurt to thicken the sauce, and throws in some broccoli and spinach for something green.

"When you said fish sticks and mac and cheese, I thought you meant from the box," Zoro says, the barest hint of awe in his voice as he gazes at the finished meal.

"Excuse me? The day I make something out of a box, it'll be the day I swallow my hand whole," Sanji snaps. "Now sit down, marimo. Chopper and I worked hard on these."

"I crushed the almonds, Dad! And I poured the macaroni in the water, and I cut the broccoli and the potatoes, and I turned on the oven!"

"Good job, Chopper. You're not going to eat?" Zoro asks Sanji as he settles a plate in front of him.

"I need to start on the granola bars for Chopper," Sanji says, walking over to serve Chopper. "Don't worry, they don't take long. I'll eat while they're in the oven."

"Don't you think this is too much?" Zoro asks quietly. "I mean…snacking all the time isn't exactly healthy."

"Kids are supposed to snack three times a day, marimo," Sanji explains. "Their metabolism is fast, so they can process almost anything. The key is to make sure these snacks are healthy. These bars are full of protein and Vitamin A. The ice cream I'll make tomorrow will have his daily dose of calcium. His drinks are made from fresh fruit juice, and there's nothing processed in the food I'm giving him. He's gonna grow up healthy and strong. And you too, if you let me feed you."

"I'm already strong," Zoro smirks, trying to lighten the mood by flexing a—and here Sanji accepts it very grudgingly—perfectly muscled bicep.

"No, you're muscly, idiot," Sanji retorts. "You're always rubbing your muscles, as if you're sore—."

"I _am_ sore; it's called working out."

"It's called Vitamin D deficiency, moron," Sanji snaps. "There's beer in your fridge, so you're probably a heavy drinker. Any light headedness? Rapid heartbeat? Easy bruising? That's B12 deficiency. And you need that, since it what helps your cells regenerate when you destroy them building up muscle."

"How do you know all of that, Sanji?" Chopper asks, mouth agape. "You're like a doctor!"

Sanji shrugs, trying to fight off a blush. "Nah…not really. I know nutrition. My old man kinda raised me to be a chef since I was little, so I grew up knowing these things."

"Dad! Dad, I wanna be a doctor when I grow up," Chopper exclaims suddenly, his dangling feet swinging excitedly. "I wanna help people be healthy and strong like Sanji does!"

Zoro laughs. "Alright, Chopper. But you need to be strong yourself first, so why don't you go ahead and eat all that broccoli you're pushing off to the side, buddy?"

"But Daddy!"

"And don't even start with the cuteness act," Zoro snaps, immediately looking away from his son's pouting face. "You're gonna eat that broccoli!"

"Fine," Chopper sighs, shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Wow, that's some powerful stuff." Sanji shakes off the need to feed the kid as much sugar as he wants.

"Tell me about it," Zoro mutters.

Chopper and Zoro eat everything off their plates. Zoro sends off his son to do his homework while he helps Sanji with the dishes. The two adults share a comfortable silence as they work, and it isn't until 9 o' clock hits and Zoro sends Chopper to bed, that tension begins to settle in.

"Well…um, thanks," Zoro starts, raising a hand to scratch at his hair. "For the food and stuff, I mean."

"Don't mention it." Sanji goes for nonchalance, trying to make this as comfortable for Zoro as possible. He's aware that the man has a strong and willful pride, and just accepting Sanji's help is already a great leap of trust from the man. "I'll be here tomorrow at seven. It's that fine?"

"Y-yeah. See you tomorrow…I guess."

"Good night, Zoro," Sanji says softly. He's already looking forward to the next day.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! They make me so happy! So this story is already finished and posted in AO3 for those who don't want to wait. It's 15 chapters long and over 100k! There's also two sequels! But if you prefer to read it here, I'll be posting ever 2-4 days and the chapters are all pretty long :)**

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Zoro is an amazing father. It's not something someone would automatically think looking at the green-haired man, but it's completely true. As they quickly settle in a routine of Sanji arriving early in the morning to cook breakfast and prepare Chopper's lunch, then returning late in the evening to prepare dinner, he gets a chance to look at the father interacting with his son.

Zoro helps Chopper with his homework. Zoro is not incredibly smart—he's twenty-four, so it's been a while since he was last in grade school—but he's not stupid either, and he makes the effort to learn what he doesn't understand. Thankfully, Chopper is incredibly smart, so more often than not, Chopper is the one refreshing his father in some of the older topics. Sanji watches from the kitchen as father and son pour over textbooks that look too big to belong to a second-grader, and he can't help but smile at the sight.

Zoro also fancies himself a strict father, but it's obvious Chopper has him eating from the palm of his hand. All Chopper has to do is look at his father with his huge, brown eyes, and Zoro gives in. It's the only time Sanji ever gets to see a smile on Zoro's face.

Zoro isn't afraid of showing Chopper open affection, often pulling him into his lap to ruffle his hair or hug him tightly. He says 'I love you, too' whenever Chopper says 'I love you', he says 'I'm proud of you' whenever Chopper brings home a perfect test. He kisses Chopper goodnight, and always yells out a 'be safe' when he leaves for school in the mornings. Once, when Chopper arrived from school with paint all over himself from staying with the famous 'Luffy', he and Zoro showered together while Sanji prepared their dinner.

Sanji gets too see a thousand new faces of Zoro, each one more surprising and pleasant that the last. But no matter how much Sanji tries, Zoro doesn't lower his defenses. Their routine quickly turns into an awkward setting that ends with Sanji always leaving as soon as Chopper is put to bed. Zoro has set up boundaries around himself and his son, and he sticks to them adamantly. It soon becomes clear that Sanji really isn't anything more than the stranger who feeds them, regardless of the countless of times he's tried to do more—he's not even sure whether Zoro remembers his name, since he always refers to him as cook, shit cook, curly, or dartboard brow.

He knows Zoro has more than one job—his hours are too random, his schedule too busy for anything less—but other than Shells Coffee Shop, he doesn't know more. The green-haired man has a couple of friends that pick up Chopper from school and stay with him until he arrives home from work. Sanji would've never found out that little bit of information if Chopper weren't always talking about Luffy or Usopp, and even once, Nami.

Sanji has offered to pick up the second-grader twice, and both times he has been shut down as soon as the question leaves his lips. Zoro doesn't trust him, never leaves him alone with Chopper despite always being in the safety of their home. It's clear that while he allows—and very grudgingly so—Sanji to cook their meals, he's still highly suspicious of the cook.

And that is why it comes as such a surprise when—after almost three months of their arrangement—Carne tells him he has a call from someone named Zoro.

"Zoro?" he answers uncertainly, hunching his back protectively to keep the other cooks from hearing his conversation.

"Cook?" Zoro's voice is quiet and strained. "Hey man—listen, are you busy?"

"Not at all," he lies, sparing a guilty look at Zeff. "Um…did you need something?"

"Yeah. Usopp isn't going to be able to pick up Chopper today, and I is wondering—."

"Yes!" The silence coming from the receiver and from the kitchen behind him is awkward, and Sanji feels his cheeks burn in embarrassment. He squeezes his eyes shut and takes a deep breath, gathering courage. "Sorry. You were saying?"

The silence lasts for a few more seconds, and when Zoro speaks again, there is mirth in his tone. "Can you pick up Chopper from school? It's only going to be for a couple of hours. Usopp can take him off your hands around four or so."

"It's no problem," Sanji assures him. "I can watch him until you get home. I'll have dinner ready when you arrive."

A snort from behind him and another awkward silence from the receiver make it painfully clear how his words have been taken.

"Thanks, cook. He goes to the Merry Go Elementary. It's off Syrup Street."

"Alright. Don't worry, I'll take good care of him."

"Thanks. Shit, that's my boss—I know, you fucking jerk! I'm hanging up now!—Bye, shit cook."

"See you later, marimo."

"So…did the fact that we're on rush hour escaped your mind, Eggplant?" Zeff growls, glaring at Sanji from his station on the grill.

"Why did you hire all these crap cooks then, if you're depending on me?" Sanji scoffs. "It's just for today, old man."

"Get out of my kitchen, you little shit. Out! Now!"

"I'm going, sheesh."

The other cooks watch, frozen, as Sanji quickly takes off his apron and rushes out. Patty is the first to break the silence.

"A man, huh? I sure did not see that coming."

Chopper's school is one of the nicer public school of the area. It's small, only housing a few hundred students, but it's cozy. Chopper is in second grade, in a small class of only a dozen. When Sanji arrives, there are a few other parents picking up their kids, a lovely blue-haired woman and a creepy blonde man talking to the beautiful blonde teacher.

"Sanji!" Chopper exclaims, running up to greet him with a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Your Dad asked me to pick you up." Sanji ruffles the sandy hair, grinning down at the kid. "How was school?"

"Great! We read Nim's Island! And Miss Kaya had me read out loud and I did, and I didn't mess up once so she gave me a sticker; see?!"

"That's great, buddy," Sanji says, looking at the bright 'Amazing!' sticker.

"Excuse me…are you here to pick up Chopper?"

Sanji turns around and is greeted by the heavenly sight of Chopper's teacher. "Ah, what a lovely flower! Yes, my lovely. I'm…a friend of the family."

"Sanji makes my lunch boxes, Miss Kaya," Chopper adds.

"Oh…what happened with Usopp?" Kaya asks, curiously.

"I don't know. Zoro just asked me if I could pick Chopper up, and of course I said yes," Sanji says.

"I…well, I really needed to talk to Zoro," Kaya frowns. "It's rather important."

"Well, you can tell me!" Sanji is quick to say. "I see the stupid moss head every day, I can relay the message."

Kaya's frown deepens, staring at Sanji suspiciously for a few moments. Finally, she decides she can trust the blonde, and her face clears. "Alright. Chopper, why don't you go play with the others? It's only going to take a few minutes,"

"Yes, Miss Kaya."

The lovely teacher leads Sanji back to her desk, offering him a rather small chair. She takes out a file from one of her drawers and quickly skims it before turning back to Sanji. "Do you know what we did today in class, Mr. Sanji?"

"Please, just call me Sanji, my beautiful flower," Sanji praises. "Chopper mentioned reading a book. Nim's Island, I believe."

"The class read Nim's Island," Kaya corrects. "Chopper read a book titled Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism."

"E-excuse me?"

"He has been really interested in the human body lately," Kaya continues, ignoring Sanji's surprise. "He's already gone through quite the inventory. Books about anatomy, the numerous body systems. Honestly, just reading the titles on some of those books made my head hurt."

"Chopper is seven," Sanji says. "And you're telling me he's reading advanced medical books?"

"Chopper already knew how to read when he entered my class," Kaya says, again ignoring Sanji. "He knew advanced algebra, had a vocabulary greater than my own. His critical thinking skills are superb, and he shows quite the thirst for knowledge. I'm pretty sure Chopper knew how to read before he hit school age. The first time I caught him reading a medical book, he immediately hid it and denied its existence."

"But…but if he's as smart as you say he is, then this is a good thing!" Sanji exclaims. "I mean…wow! So he's a genius? What is he doing in second grade, then? Shouldn't he already be in, I don't know, college or something?"

"He should. I took the liberty of giving him an IQ test. He scored a 136—barely below the genius level, but definitely higher than either of us. When he continued to show great interest in the field of science, I gave him a test I took from the local university's biology class. He scored a perfect score. It's my belief, then, that Chopper is a medical prodigy."

"This is…I'm sorry, I'm just…wow." Sanji glances back at the kid, happily playing with a Buzz Lightyear action figure. To think that the cute little boy is smarter than Sanji. "So now what?"

"I think Chopper should head on to greater things," Kaya says simply. "It's clear to me that my class is no longer challenging to him. From here, I would like to give him a high school equivalency test. Once he has graduated, I don't think it would be a problem for him to be accepted at any University he wishes to attend."

"That's great. Yes, of course," Sanji nods. "I'm sure Zoro won't say no. I mean, his kid is a prodigy! He's going to be thrilled!"

"There's just one problem," Kaya cuts in, and her face hardens. "Like I said before, Chopper doesn't like to voice the fact that he's gifted. Multiple times, he has lied about his abilities, hiding them behind childish excuses. You see, Chopper understands that these opportunities come at a price. Higher education is not cheap, and while many programs would be more than glad to grant Chopper a scholarship, this would still be a great economic challenge for Zoro. Zoro is a personal friend of mine, and I know that he can't afford something like this right now. I have no doubts that he would do anything in his power to give Chopper this opportunity, but I'm afraid he's just going to bury himself in debt. Chopper, unfortunately, understands this. So you understand why this has to be dealt with carefully, right?"

Sanji frowns. He knows Zoro isn't doing well. He has seen him multiple times stressing over bills. The green-haired man is in debt, how much Sanji doesn't know, but it's clear that he's barely holding himself above water. If he hears the news, Zoro will immediately go to the nearest loan shark and sell his soul if he thought that would help Chopper. It will be a vicious cycle that will never end.

But they can't make Chopper give this up. The boy is a prodigy! He has so many opportunities in front of him, a great chance to climb above everyone and anyone and make something of himself. Zoro will never forgive himself if he denies Chopper this chance.

"I…understand," he finally answers. "I will let Zoro know. Thank you, Miss Kaya."

The pretty blonde nods and puts up Chopper's file. "I'm glad you understand, Sanji. From what Chopper tells me, you have been a great friend to Zoro. I'm happy he's found someone again."

Sanji's eyes widen and a blush spreads to the tip of his ears. "What? Oh no, we're not…I mean, we're just friends. He doesn't, I don't…feel, uh—no."

This time, it's Kaya's turn to feel embarrassed. "Oh! I'm sorry. I just assumed—well, let me go get Chopper."

Sanji nods, heat still burning his cheeks. Why do people think he's going out with Zoro? Even the cooks at the Baratie thought so. Sanji is straight, goddamnit. He's a lady's man, he was born to love women!

So what if sometimes he notices if a guy is attractive? It happens once in a blue moon, and it's never anything sexual. He can recognize attractiveness, even on guys. Take Zoro, for example; he's an attractive man. Extremely attractive, if Sanji is being completely honest. Zoro has a build similar to his own, except Sanji is better marked. Zoro does have wider shoulders, but that's just genetics. The green hair is a little weird, but it looks nice on him, especially contrasted against his tan skin. But he has never had those kind of thoughts towards Zoro. Why would he? Zoro is aman, and Sanji doesn't like men. Especially not arrogant, self-confident marimos with an oddly adorable side.

Sanji is sure that if he returns to the Baratie, Zeff will throw him out with a well-placed kick to the ass. He doesn't want Chopper to witness that, so he takes the boy to the Zoo instead. He has gone there plenty of times himself, it being one of his favorite dating spots, but it's a whole new experience going with Chopper.

They boy is excited about everything. He has boundless energy and drags Sanji from one exhibit to the other faster than the cook can think. He has a thousand questions for everything, and Sanji is sure their guide is happy to see them go. He doesn't want to head home and ruin the little boy's excitement, so he takes him to a local frozen yogurt stand, making sure he doesn't pick too many sweet toppings.

"This is the best day ever! Thank you, Sanji!" Chopper squeals, taking a large spoonful of strawberry yogurt.

"You're welcome." Sanji smiles, picking at his own vanilla frozen treat. He has been thinking about how he's going to approach the subject of the boy's intellect to Chopper, but he hasn't come up with anything good. After all, despite his intelligence, Chopper is still a naïve little boy. Maybe it's just best to be honest. "Chopper…Miss Kaya mentioned your interest in medicine to me."

Immediately, Chopper's brightness dims. His legs stop swinging and the smile leaves his face. He picks at his yogurt, not meeting Sanji's eyes. "Y-yeah."

"Chopper, why didn't you tell your father anything?" Sanji asks softly. "You know he's going to be happy, right?"

Chopper nods slowly, but he's still staring at the floor. "I know." His voice is small, defeated, and it tugs at Sanji's heart.

"So what's the problem, then?" Chopper hesitates, then mutters something unintelligible. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I don't want to give him any more burdens." Chopper speaks slowly, as if thinking about each word before he says it. He's completely serious.

"Burdens? Chopper, you aren't a burden to your dad. He loves you! What made you think that?" Sanji asks, confused. "Has he said anything to make you feel this way?"

"No!" Chopper exclaims quickly, eyes snapping to finally meet Sanji's. "No, never! Dad is a little rough, and he's always cursing and yelling, but he's good to me. I know he loves me because he works hard for me. He reads to me when I can't sleep, he stays on the couch so I can have the bed to myself, and he always joins me when I have a nightmare. Before you came along, he always gave me the bigger share of food even when I complained. He loves me, despite all the problems I've caused him."

"Chopper, your father's problems aren't your fault. He's just—."

"They are! You just don't know."

"Then tell me. How is this whole thing your fault?"

Chopper stares defiantly at Sanji, lower lip trembling. His hands are fists on the table, and he looks ready to either run or fight. Finally, his shoulders and eyes drop, and he begins talking, his words directed at the table. "When I was little, it was just my mom and me. Dad doesn't think I remember, because I was really little, but I remember most of it. Mom used to work really hard for me too, but she had a boyfriend who helped her. Then, Mom got really sick, so she told me I was going to have to go live with my Dad. But after she died, her boyfriend wants me to stay with him. I don't know why, since he never really liked me. I…I didn't want to stay with him. I want to be with my dad. He was nice to me, and he didn't even yell at me when I cried for a whole day when my mom died. When I told Dad that I want to stay with him, he hired a big, expensive lawyer that made it so that I could stay with Dad. But he had to borrow a lot of money and he even got two more jobs just to take care of me. He even broke up with his boyfriend because he was mean to me. I want to be a doctor, and I want to go to college. But Dad can't afford it right now. When I get older, I'm going to work, too, so I can save up money and pay for school myself. I'm not gonna give him any more problems."

Several things stand out to Sanji. First, it looks like Zoro never married Chopper's mother. Had it been a casual fling, then? Zoro doesn't look like the type that would get a girl pregnant and then leave her. Maybe he hadn't known? He was pretty young to be a father, so maybe the mother kept it from him.

Next, Chopper's mother was dead. Sanji felt bad for the kid. He had lost his parents at a young age too, and knows how hard it can be. Also, it looks like Zoro owes some big money to some pretty important people. He's pretty sure he didn't get that money legally. A loan shark, then. Sanji briefly wonders if Zoro would tell him who exactly had lent him the money. Probably not.

The most striking bit of information—thought least important—is the fact that Zoro had a boyfriend. Is he gay, then? No, he had been with Chopper's mom. Maybe bisexual? Or maybe he's gay and that is the reason why he didn't stay with Chopper's mom. Is that why Kaya had thought he and Zoro were dating? It doesn't matter, though. It doesn't change anything. So Zoro is gay—or bisexual—so what? Sanji doesn't have anything against those type of people. Heck, one of his closest friends is gay. He wonders briefly what Zoro's type is but quickly discards the subject. That is dangerous territory.

Right now, he needs to help Chopper. It's clear this is really bothering the child. He's guilty about having asked Zoro to stay with him, but Sanji is sure the man would have done everything the same even if Chopper hadn't said anything.

"Chopper, I want you to listen to me, okay?" Sanji begins seriously. "Your father is an adult. Any decisions he made, he did them out of his own free will. None of this is your fault, alright? He loves you and he wants to be you. That's why he hired that lawyer, that's why he broke up with that guy. Did he make a couple of mistakes on the way? Yeah, sure, but you're in no way responsible for any of this. Zoro is your father, he's supposed to sacrifice stuff for you. Don't you ever feel guilty for asking for anything, you understand? I get it, trust me. My old man sacrificed a lot of stuff for me, too. And for a long time, I felt really guilty and I made a lot of stupid mistakes. And when he finally found out what I was doing, do you know what he did?"

The little boy shakes his head, staring wide-eyed at Sanji.

"He kicked my ass," Sanji says, and Chopper laughs. "He kicked my ass so hard I couldn't sit down for weeks. But now that I'm older, I understand a little better. You see, Chopper, when you care for someone, you can't help but give them everything you can. You want to see them happy and safe, and you do whatever you can to make them feel that way. That's why parents do so much for us. So Chopper, do you think lying to your dad and keeping this from him is going to make him happy?"

"No," Chopper mutters, pouting. "But I don't want him to spend any money on me."

"Well, that's too bad," Sanji laughs. "He's gonna do it, Chopper. But I'll tell you what: if you promise me that you will tell Zoro about your mad genius, I promise I will do anything I can to help him. Deal?"

"Deal!" Chopper says quickly, smiling.

"Alright. Now, let's head home and make something tasty so he'll have a full belly when we tell him the goods new. What do you wanna make?"

"Dad loves rice balls. Can you make those?"

"Sure. C'mon. I think there's some salmon left that we can use as filling. And it wouldn't be too bad to get him a bottle of sake."

"Alright!"

Sanji and Chopper stop by the grocery store to buy a few extra ingredients; Zoro is running low on eggs and ham, as well as water and bread. Sanji also grabs a few bottles of food coloring, to make the rice balls a little more fun for Chopper.

Zoro arrives late, almost at eight o' clock. Sanji helped Chopper with his homework (not that the kid needed it. He really is incredibly smart) and they are finishing putting up his books when Zoro comes in.

"Hi, Dad! We made Onigiri!" Chopper exclaims as soon as he sees his father. "Look!"

"That's nice, Chopper." Zoro looks at the array of colorful, unshapely rice balls with a little apprehension. He pats his son's head. "I bet they taste great."

"I made some, too," Sanji adds, showing him the platter of perfectly shaped Onigiri.

"Oh thank god," Zoro sighs, and Chopper smacks him in the arm.

Zoro seems a little more relaxed today than any other night. He actually initiates the dinner conversation, talking about the new employee he's training at work. Sanji is still a little confused as to what he does for a living, but he doesn't want to ask in case Zoro closes off again.

Throughout dinner, Chopper and Sanji shared meaningful looks, the cook trying to convince the little kid to steer the conversation towards his medical expertise. Chopper tries twice, but always backs down at the last moment. So Sanji takes matters into his own hands.

"Miss Kaya mentioned how smart Chopper is," Sanji says conversationally, throwing another look at the slightly panicked Chopper.

Zoro grins. "Yeah. Chopper's real smart."

"Thanks, Dad."

"She says she wants to talk to you about something, though. Some kind of special class." Sanji shrugs in nonchalance.

"Special class? Like, for slow kids?"

"Dad, no!" Chopper exclaims. "Ugh god. You're not really supposed to call them slow, Dad."

"Sorry." Zoro rolls his eyes, clearly not bothered. "So what kind of classes, then?"

Sanji raises an eyebrow in Chopper's direction. The little kid nods and sets his mouth, a determined expression settling on his young face.

"Miss Kaya thinks I should be in more advanced classes," Chopper begins.

"Really? Like skip a grade? That's really great, Chopper. So you're going to be a middle school kid now or something?"

"Um, no," Chopper murmurs. "More like a college student."

There is a short pause, Zoro frozen with the bottle of sake's mouth on his lip. "College student?"

"Chopper's a prodigy," Sanji cuts in, afraid the little kid will burst with tension. "He's shown a real aptitude for the medical field, and Miss Kaya wants him to take the high school equivalency test and go on to college. She thinks he can easily be accepted, and I have to agree."

"Chopper?" Zoro looks at his son, frown in place. "Is this true?"

"Yes," Chopper mutters, ears tinged red.

"Well, that's…Chopper, that's great!" Zoro exclaims and a bright smile breaks through. "A prodigy? Shit, that's amazing! Chopper, I'm so proud of you." The green haired man stands up, reaching over the table to wrap his arms around Chopper in a tight hug. "Fuck, I'm so proud of you," he repeats softly in his son's ear.

"Thanks, Dad," Sanji hears the little boy whisper.

"A college boy!" Zoro lets go of Chopper to grin at him. "You're gonna do great, I just know it. So, when does Kaya want to give you this test?"

"Whenever. She just needs you to sign some paperwork," Chopper says. "Once I pass the test, I just need to apply to the colleges I want to attend. Once I have my pick, I can start looking for scholarships and grants."

"Don't worry about that." Zoro waves his hands dismissively. "College. Fucking college. Wow. I just—Chopper, this is great!"

"You've said that, Dad." Chopper rolls his eyes, but he's blushing.

"It's fucking college, Chopper! This is amazing!" Zoro repeats, still a little bit out of it. "Alright. We have a busy day ahead of us so you better start getting ready for bed. Sanji and I will take care of the dishes. C'mon."

"But Dad—."

"No buts. Your curfew is not changing, buddy. You still have to go to bed at nine."

"Fine. Good night, Sanji."

"G'night," Sanji replies, watching amusedly as Chopper stomps out of the kitchen. He tries to slam the door close, but chickens out at the last moment and softly shuts it instead.

Zoro snorts and follows him, leaving Sanji to pick up the plates and wash the dishes while he helps Chopper get ready for bed. It's almost ten o' clock by the time the green-haired man finally closes the door to Chopper's bedroom and joins Sanji in the kitchen.

"Congratulations, marimo." Sanji raises a bottle of sake and two cups. "Care to celebrate a little?"

"Fuck yeah."

Sanji isn't a big drinker, but he downs the cup of sake. He shudders at the taste and instead takes out one of his cigarettes and lights it.

He doubts Zoro can get drunk anymore, but he wants to keep the other man in a good mood before he makes his suggestion, so he keeps serving him sake as the night progresses. Two smokes and a short anecdote about one of Zoro's coworkers later, Sanji finally feels confident enough.

"So, college…it's pretty great," Sanji begins.

"Yeah. I mean, I knew he would eventually go, but I thought I still had eleven years," Zoro mutters. "It's great, though."

"Yeah. But you know, it's not that bad. I can help—."

"No."

"Why the fuck not?" Sanji hisses, hurt by the flat out refusal.

"We have an agreement. You only help out with food," Zoro says firmly.

"So what? You're just gonna go find a loan shark and borrow twenty thousand Beri?" Sanji sneers. "Why don't you want my help?" he demands when Zoro stays quiet.

"What I do is not any of your business. Now, it's getting pretty late so if you could leave…"

"Fuck that!" Sanji yells, lowering his voice when Zoro glances at Chopper's door. "Chopper told me about what happened after his mother died. And if you think I'm going to believe the bullshit story you told him, think again. You don't need to hire a big shot lawyer to fight child custody when the other person is the mother's boyfriend. You got yourself in debt for some other reason, and as your friend, I think I deserve to know why!"

"Friend? We're not fucking friends," Zoro hisses, glaring at Sanji with cold eyes. "You're just a guy I put up with because you're too fucking stubborn to go away!"

Sanji recoils as if hit. He did not seen that coming. He knows Zoro felt that way at the beginning, but he thought he had changed his mind after a couple of weeks. He's surprised by how hurt he feels; hurt and fucking pissed. "And you are a fucking moron with an ego the size of this shitty building! You're so fucking worried about trying to prove that you can do everything yourself that you haven't realized that you don't fucking have to! It's okay to ask for help, you shitty moss. There's nothing wrong with that. I can help you!"

"I don't need your help! Why do you fucking keep insisting so much?!"

"Because that's what you do!" Sanji yells back, shocking Zoro. He's breathing hard, his heart hammering a thousand beats per second. He bites his lip, fighting to lower his voice before they wake up Chopper. When he speaks again, his voice is much softer. "That's what you do when a friend needs you. You fucking help them."

Zoro stares at him, his expression dripping with suspicion. Sanji glares back, daring him to deny their friendship again.

Finally, Zoro looks away. When he speaks, he does so to the carpet, his posture tense. "Chopper's mother was named Alice."

Sanji nods, but doesn't say anything. He needs to hear this, he needs Zoro to trust him.

Zoro sighs and continues. "She was seventeen when she got pregnant. I was sixteen and drunk; it was the first time I went to a party with beer. She offered, and well…what kind of sixteen year old doesn't want to lose his virginity with an older girl? Anyway, she moved a couple of months after that. She didn't tell me she was pregnant until Chopper was three. She had cancer; the doctor's gave her four months. You can probably imagine my reaction; I went from being a nineteen year old with no responsibilities to having a child to take care of. I didn't go to college instead going straight to the workforce. I used to teach swordsmanship to kids in this dojo in Shimotsuki, but since it was a volunteer job, I had to stop." Zoro stops talking and leans back on the couch. He has a faraway look in his eyes and a slightly dopey smile on his face. It's the type of smile Sanji only gets to see when Zoro is looking at Chopper.

"When I first met Chopper…I don't know how to explain it. It's like I didn't even care what I had to do, I knew I had to give this little crying kid the best life in the world. Alice's boyfriend was a guy name Daz Bones, a member of Baroque Works. Chopper thought Daz wants to keep him, but that's not true. Truth is, Alice owed a lot of money to the boss, a guy named Mr. 0. So Bones told me I either paid them what Alice owed, or they would make sure child services took Chopper away from me. You can guess the rest."

Sanji frowns. It makes more sense than Chopper's story. He knows Baroque Works, Robin worked for them for a little while, and he knew they were a nasty piece of work. No wonder Zoro is still in debt, those guy are experts at taking money. That explains most of the questions Sanji had about Zoro's past. Well, there is still one more. "Chopper felt pretty guilty about that, you know? He even thought you broke up with your boyfriend because of him."

Zoro laughs and finally looks at Sanji. "Is that your way of asking me if I'm gay?"

Sanji winces, but nods. No point in denying it now.

"I've never really labeled myself," Zoro answers with a shrug. "I don't care if they're guys, girls, or whatever—thought I've only ever been with three girls and one guy. Saga was my first boyfriend. We were high school friends and when Saga confessed after graduation, I said yes. He was hot and we got along. The fact that we fucked like bunnies didn't hurt, either."

Sanji blushes at this, and Zoro grins wide. He drags an appreciative eye over Sanji, smirk widening when Sanji shifts uncomfortably. "When Chopper came along, though, Saga couldn't understand that my son was—and still is—my one and only priority," he continues. "He was getting jealous so I broke it off. Working three jobs and taking care of a kid doesn't give you much time to for yourself, though, so I haven't really been with anyone since then."

"Oh." Sanji feels pretty stupid for his simple response, but he's a bit shocked at how much Zoro revealed about himself. Still, there is a warmth in his stomach that is giddy to know Zoro is starting to trust him. "Zoro, I like Chopper. And I like you. You're pretty annoying when you want to be, and you're kind of an asshole, but then again, so am I. I really thought you we were friends."

Zoro lets his head hit the back of the couch. "Sorry, cook. We are friends, but…I've been doing this on my own for a while. It feels strange to have someone come along and want to shoulder part of the weight I'm carrying, especially when you ask for nothing in return."

"I think that's mostly your fault," Sanji says softly. "Kaya mentioned she's one of your friends, and it seems to me that they all want to help you, and you don't let them."

Zoro scowls, but doesn't deny it.

"Look…how about this," Sanji starts. "How about I lend you the money? However much you need; I won't charge you any interest and you can decide on the amount and frequency of the payments. So?"

"That…actually doesn't sound so bad." Zoro hums thoughtfully, index finger rubbing his bottom lip. "I will pay you back, though; to the last penny."

Sanji rolls his eyes, but concedes. It's the best he's going to get.

The next day, Zeff asks him to cover the early morning shift. Since he left the day before to pick up Chopper, he can't say no. He grabs Zoro's number from the Baratie's phone caller ID and calls him on his cell to let Zoro have his phone number and let him know he won't come in to make breakfast; he gives him instructions to follow a simple recipe, inadvertently starting an argument of whether Zoro is capable of cooking for himself or not .

Zoro texts in the afternoon to let him know Chopper is taking the high school equivalency test, and again in the evening to tell him he's going out with friends and taking Chopper with him, so Sanji doesn't need to go to his place and cook dinner.

He's a bit upset at going the whole day without seeing Zoro or Chopper, but when the man makes excuses not to see Sanji the next day too, he begins to wonder if maybe Zoro is avoiding him.

Two weeks after their conversation, Sanji has not visited the Roronoa house once. He kind of wants to show up uninvited, but something tells him that's a bad idea. Zoro does text him every day to keep him updated about Chopper, though. The boy already took and passed the test letting him graduate from high school—Zoro is a little upset Chopper wasn't able to graduate properly with a cap and gown—and is working hard in his applications for college.

Still, Zeff has been working him extra hard this week, so Sanji is a little glad for the extra fee time. When his old man decides to give him the afternoon off on Saturday, he decides to pay Robin a little visit.

Sanji met Robin around ten years ago. He was a sophomore in high school and Robin was in the school's Job Fair representing her then-boyfriend's company. Sanji hit on her and Robin invited him out for drinks. Of course, sex was the last thing on her mind, as Sanji quickly found out. Instead, Sanji was introduced to the dangerous and exotic world of underground fighting. He participated a little bit during his most rebellious years, making a reputation for himself as Black Leg. He stopped as soon as the Baratie started to hit it off, about six years ago. However, he's still unable to say no to the raven-haired woman whenever she asks a favor from him, so he makes the odd appearance every now and then.

Robin has a lot of influence in the Grand Line. He doesn't know how exactly, but Robin has connections everywhere. Franky, her husband, is vice-president of Galley-La, a construction company that built most of the buildings in the country, and Robin sometimes doubles as his secretary. Despite owning most of the major contracts in East Blue, the company is located in Water 7, about an hour away from East Blue.

Sanji has only visited Robin a couple of times at work, but since he made a huge fool of himself in front of the receptionist, it isn't a big surprise when Kalifa recognizes him.

"I'm calling security," she says as soon as she lays eyes on Sanji.

"Wait, Kalifa," Sanji says hurriedly. "I'm just here to see Robin. I promise."

"That's sexual harassment."

"Talking to you?!"

"It's fine, Kalifa. Sanji's a super good friend."

Sanji turns around, relieved to see the large man. This time, Franky has styled his hair into two long braids, but he's still dressed in the usual speedo and Hawaiian print shirt.

"Franky! Hey, it's good to see you again, man."

"You too, Sanji!" Franky exclaims. "Man, Robin will be glad to see you! Damn Kaku lost a fight to a freaking rookie about four days ago. She's pissed."

"Is she now?"

A pissed off Robin is not good news. To anyone. The cryptic woman is dangerous on a good day, downright lethal on a bad one. Sanji has only seen her lose her temper once, and Franky paid the price for his rude comment. He winces, remembering the painful punishment his friend had undergone.

Franky seems to remember the same thing because a hand reaches down to protect his crotch area. "She's in the office. Let her know Sanji's going up, will you, Kalifa?"

"That's sexual harassment."

"Just do it. See you later, Sanji."

"Yeah, later."

Sanji doesn't want to fight anymore. He doesn't want to be involved in any of that now that he has Zoro and Chopper to worry about. But he knows the favor he has to ask isn't going to come free, and he would never dream of cashing in the multiple favors he has already done for the woman.

He knocks on the imposing door politely. The office was originally made for Franky, but despite his position as vice-president, the man prefers to work out in the yard with the other field workers, so Robin took the office for herself.

A quiet voice orders him to enter, and Sanji steps softly inside the office. Robin is seated behind the large mahogany desk, hair brought up into a delicate ponytail, gray pinstripe suit fitted to her curvaceous figure.

She looks at him from over half-rimmed glasses, perfectly shaped eyebrow raised delicately in mild surprise. "Sanji, what a pleasant surprise."

"Hey, Robin," Sanji replies. "I came to ask you a favor." He knows better than to beat around the bush. It won't be of any help, especially with Robin.

A pleasant smile settles in Robin's features, and she nods for Sanji to take a seat. He obeys instantly, walking the short distance to the plush chair in front of Robin's desk. "What kind of favor?" she asks curiously.

"I have…a friend," Sanji begins, hesitating over the title. "He owes some money to Baroque Works. I want you to find out as much as you can about it."

"Sanji, you know I don't much care for Sir Crocodile."

A nice way of saying she hates his fucking guts. Sanji understands; he hates the man as well, but he really needs Robin to do this for him. "I understand, Robin."

She stares at him, tapping a pen to her lips. Sanji tries not to squirm too much, but Robins' gaze has the ability to make him feel naked—and not in the good way; those eyes can read entirely too much. "I guess I can look into it," she finally answers. "I do have a man deeply rooted in the organization."

Sanji isn't surprised by this. Despite working for Galley-La, Robin's real job is as an agent of the Revolutionary Army, an organization hell bent in exposing all of the government's dirty secrets. Sanji isn't one much for politics, but after years of working for Robin, he knows that the World Government that rules over them all isn't as perfect as officials want them to think. Robin has wormed her way inside CP9, a secret government organization that doubles as a criminal syndicate. So Robin is a double, double-crosser, if that make sense. Which most of the time, it doesn't.

Sanji only knows that it's best not to be on the woman's bad side, and that particular piece of knowledge is what has allowed him survive all these years.

"Can I ask why you are so curious?" Robin speaks again. "I have never seen you interested in anything that doesn't have breasts before."

"Robin-chwan!" Sanji exclaims, scandalized by the woman's blunt wording; Robin simply raises an eyebrow, prompting him to answer her question. "Zoro…he's a good friend of mine. He's been in debt to Crocodile for four years now and he's about to hit rock bottom. I just want to help him."

"Zoro?" Robin speaks the name slowly, as if savoring it. "Last name?"

"Roronoa," Sanji says. "Roronoa Zoro."

"Hmm." There is mirth in Robin's features now, a hint of enjoyment in her eyes. "I'll get right to it, then. Now, if you don't mind, I need your help with something of my own."

"Franky mentioned Kaku's fight," Sanji nods. Kaku is another CP9 agent and a regular in the underground ring. Sanji is actually surprised that the man lost. He has sparred against the agent a couple of times and while he's sure he can defeat the man, Sanji knows he's a dangerous adversary. "He was defeated by a rookie?"

"Not exactly," Robin muses. "Do you remember the legend of the Demon of East Blue?"

Sanji snorts. "You have to be kidding me." He does remember the Demon of the East Blue. The man was a legend by the time Sanji exited the circuit. The red-eyed demon that fought with three swords. Undefeated in all of his years as an underground fighter, until the moment he quietly and suddenly disappeared one night. Sanji doesn't know much about him; he, unfortunately, never fought against him. He only knows that the man entered the ring two years after Sanji and that while many gangs and syndicates wants the man's loyalty, the demon stayed free. "You're telling me Kaku fought the Demon?"

"I _do_ know what the Demon looks like," Robin reminds him. "He looks not much different from back then. A little rusty, but clearly still strong enough to defeat my second best fighter."

"Wait…you want me to go against him?" Sanji gasps, feeling excitement rush through his body and settle on his feet. It would be exhilarating to fight someone as strong as the Demon. Maybe he's even strong enough to stand against the force of Sanji's legs.

"Not at this moment," Robin laughs softly. "I have another man for you. The fight will be held two weeks from now. I'll have your information ready by then."

"Thank you," Sanji says, slightly disappointed. He bows goodbye and waves to Franky before leaving the office building. He's debating whether he should go home or back to the Baratie when he receives a text from Zoro.

 **Hey, busy?**

He frowns at the short text. Does that mean Zoro wants to see him? Or maybe he has a favor to ask.

 _Nope. What's up?_

The reply is as short as the question.

 **Can you come over?**

"Shitty, useless marimo," Sanji mutters. Part of him wants to say no, to give Zoro a taste of his own medicine. How would he like it if Sanji keeps away for two whole fucking weeks? A small voice tells him Zoro won't be bothered. Who is he kidding? Sanji is probably the only one who is going to suffer if he goes through with that plan.

 _Yeah. Give me an hour._

He pockets his phone and walks over to his car. Zoro and Chopper are waiting for him when he arrives. He's surprised to see the living room a lot messier than the last time he was there. There are books stacked everywhere, paper balls littering the carpeted floor. There are a bunch of dirty dishes in the sink, and even some pans in the stove with leftover food.

"Hey, cook," Zoro greets.

"Sanji!" Chopper exclaims, rushing over to hug him. "Guess what? I got in!"

"In where?" Sanji asks, glancing up at Zoro for an answer.

"New World University."

"It's the best university in all of Grand Line! And I got in!" Chopper cheers.

"Oh my god, Chopper, that's amazing!" Sanji exclaims, hugging the little kid tighter. "I'm so proud of you, buddy!"

"Yeah, we got the letter of acceptance this morning," Zoro says, nodding to one of the papers laying on the coffee table. "He actually got in every school he applied to, but his first choice is New World. We're going out to celebrate, and Chopper wants you to come."

Sanji keeps his eyes on the little boy as his body locks up. So if Chopper hadn't asked for him to come, Zoro wouldn't have invited him? Something hard and painful lodges itself in the pit of his stomach.

"I would love to go," he manages to say. His nails dig into the palm of his hands at the realization that he cares a lot more about Zoro than the green-haired man does about him. Zoro did call him his friend, but how much of that is an obligation and how much is what Zoro really feels? When—if ever—is Sanji going to stop being a stranger?

"Great! You'll get to meet everyone!" Chopper says, distracting him from his darkening thoughts. "Let's go."

"We can take my car," Sanji says, glancing at Zoro.

"Thanks." Zoro leads the way out. "It's not that far away from here. Have you heard of the Pumpkin Café?"

Sanji nods. He's never been there, but he's heard of it. Chopper blabbers incessantly about New World, talking about all of the different classes they offer and about the upcoming Open House. He invites Sanji to come and the cook accepts after a quick glance at Zoro.

Finally, they arrive at the nice restaurant. It's slightly smaller than the Baratie, but by the amount of cars parked outside, it's quite popular.

"Luffy helped out the owner a couple of years ago, so everything is on the house," Zoro says as he pays for parking. "It's pretty nice, though I guess it's not what you're used to."

"Conis is always nice," Chopper adds. "She always lets me have an extra scoop of ice cream."

"She sounds lovely," Sanji smiles. They are greeted at the door by one of the hosts, and Zoro and Chopper watch amusedly as Sanji praises the beautiful girl.

"OI! ZORO!"

Sanji looks up at the loud shout, trying to find the source. Suddenly, a blur of red and yellow rushes past him only to crash into the green-haired man behind him, sending him flying back.

"Zoro!" Sanji gasps.

"Luffy! Don't break anything!" an angry voice shouts and Sanji is met with one of the most beautiful women he has ever seen. Her short, red-hair shines almost orange, but it compliments her brown eyes beautifully.

"Ah! Mellorine!" Sanji exclaims, rushing to kneel on one knee in front of the girl. "Your beauty is like water to the desert of my eyes! Have I died? Is this heaven? If so, I have no regrets, to be greeted at the pearly gates by one such as yourself!"

"Who are you?" the girl frowns.

"That's the cook," Zoro says from behind him, untangling himself from the mass of limbs Sanji now recognizes as a person. "This is Nami and the little ball of chaos is Luffy."

"You're a cook?" Luffy exclaims, bouncing to his feet. Sanji watches in horrified awe as the boy stretches his arm to grab a hold of Sanji and wrap him in a tight hug. "Can you cook for me? Lots and lots of meat, please!"

"We're in a restaurant, you idiot," Nami snaps. "Let's go back to the table."

Luffy doesn't let go of Sanji, but Zoro only shrugs at him. The cook grits his teeth and manages to make his way to the table, where a long nosed man with curly hair is waiting for them.

"He ate one of the Devil's Fruit?" Sanji asks as Nami pulls Luffy off him.

"Yes! I ate the Gum Gum Fruit," Luffy exclaims. "So now I'm a rubberman!"

"You're a menace, that's what you are," Zoro mutters.

"So you're Sanji? Kaya told me about you," the long-nose man says. "I'm Usopp."

"Nice to meet you all," Sanji says. "Zoro talks a lot about you."

"Really? He never really seems to mention you," Nami says, giving him a measuring look. Sanji is suddenly reminded of Robin. This woman is not as intuitive as the raven-haired, but she's definitely not one to be trifled with.

He ignores the bitter taste in his mouth at her words, and shrugs. "That's because he has the manners of a monkey."

"Oi!"

"Sanji makes the best food ever!" Chopper exclaims excitedly, Luffy hanging from his every word. "He's the best cook in the world!"

"No need to stroke the man's ego," Zoro mutters. "Besides, we're celebrating you, Chopper!"

"That's right!" Nami exclaims, smiling widely. "Are you sure he's your kid, Zoro? Because he definitely doesn't get his smarts from you."

"Shut up, you evil witch," Zoro snarls, hissing when Sanji hits him in the back of the head.

"Watch your mouth, you shitty moss," Sanji snaps. "Don't insult Nami-swan!"

"Why, thank you, Sanji," Nami grins.

"I want to eat!" Luffy yells, making the other patrons turn to stare at them. "Conis! Meat!"

"Ugh, I hate taking him out," Nami groans. "Worse than a puppy."

"I'm pretty hungry myself," Usopp says. "I feel like chicken alfredo today."

"I want meat," Luffy states firmly. "With meat on the side."

"Sanji, can I have ice cream today?" Chopper asks the cook, mouth set in an adorable pout. "Please? I've been eating all of my vegetables, I swear!"

"Sure, Chopper." Sanji smiles and messes the sandy locks. "How about we get you the cherry and rhubarb pie with vanilla ice cream on top? But you have to pick something green for your sides."

"Okay! Can I have two scoops of ice cream, then?"

"Sure, Chopper."

"Yay!"

"Oi, cook…what is that thing you says is making my muscles sore? I'm getting it again," Zoro says, frowning at his menu.

"B12? Get any beef meal—or if you like them, get the clams. I'm a little worried at how pale you look, you might be a little low on iron and clams have plenty of it."

"Hmm. Okay."

"Wow, you sound like a nagging mother," Usopp laughs. "Now I see what Kaya is talking about."

Sanji blushes, remembering how Kaya thought he and Zoro were dating. "I'm a chef. I take responsibility for the health of the people who eat my meals."

"You should listen to him," Chopper adds seriously. "Many illnesses can be avoided with a healthy diet. Sanji makes sure to add plenty of garlic and turmeric to counterattack all of the alcohol Dad drinks, since they both work exceptionally well at helping the liver function properly."

"You do?" Zoro asks curiously, staring at Sanji with wide eyes.

"You're still going to kill your liver, moron," Sanji growls, looking away.

"And you your lungs, shit cook," Zoro snaps back.

The waitress comes before Sanji can snap back and takes their orders. Sanji fights off the smile that threatens to surface when Zoro orders the clams.

When the food arrives, Sanji is horrified to see that Luffy has even worse manners that Zoro. The man eats everything in front of him, regardless of who it belongs to. The others seems used to his way of eating, even advising Sanji not to lose track of his food lest it end up inside Luffy's stomach.

Despite their childish behavior, Sanji finds himself comfortable in the little group. They all met in high school, having gone to the local East Blue High. Sanji went to Grand Line High, a much smaller private school near the Baratie, but even if he'd gone to East Blue High, he doubts he would have befriended the group. After all, they're all younger than him. Still, he can't help but wonder much different would Zoro treat him if he knew him longer? Would he smile as wide as he does for Luffy?

Would Zoro call him a friend out of true sentiment, not obligation? Would it be easier for the green-haired man to accept his help then? Zoro's life would have changed a lot if Sanji had known him in school. Sanji would have never allowed for Zoro to be buried in debt, for his life to fall apart and narrow around the safety of Chopper.

He would have been there for the man since beginning, taking care of him and Chopper.

"…and the offer a lot of opportunities for hands-on work!" Chopper's voice says excitedly, bringing Sanji out of his musings. "It is a bit far away from home, though, so I was thinking I could maybe move into the dorms."

"Aren't you a little young for that, Chopper?" Sanji asks, stopping the little boy from pushing his vegetables into Usopp's plate.

"But, Sanji! It's gonna be so much work if I don't stay. You have to let me stay!"

Nami laughs before Sanji can reply. "Don't be silly, Chopper. Sanji isn't your dad. He can't tell you what to do."

The words die in Sanji's throat. She's right. Sanji doesn't have any right to tell Chopper what to do. It doesn't matter how worried he is, or how much he wants to protect Chopper, Sanji has no right. Because he isn't part of their family.

Like Zoro said, he's just the guy who feeds them.

Maybe Chopper thinks of him as a friend, but in the long run, that means nothing. Because once Chopper leaves for college, Sanji won't have any excuse to visit Zoro anymore. The university will provide three full meals for the young boy, and Sanji will become obsolete to the small family. Maybe Zoro knows that. Maybe that's why he broke contact with him for so long. He knows Sanji is growing too attached, and he wants to sever their bond cleanly.

Sanji is surprised by how much the thought hurts.

"Maybe, but I don't think you should be staying in the dorms either," Zoro pipes in, and Sanji glances at him surprised. "Sanji is right, you're much too young."

"I am not!" Chopper exclaims. "Dad, you know I can take care of myself!"

"We're not talking about this right now, Chopper."

"But—."

"I said no, Chopper."

Chopper fumes quietly and crosses his arms stubbornly. "You're so unfair!" he whines. "You're just embarrassed because you don't want to ask Sanji for any more money!"

Zoro hits the table hard, rattling the plates and glasses, and the whole restaurant quiets down. Luffy is still eating, though his eyes are staring between Zoro, Chopper, and Sanji curiously. Usopp looks like a deer in headlights, his dark skin unnaturally pale, and Nami's face is pinched angrily.

"That has nothing to do with anything, and you know that, Chopper," Zoro growls, staring down at his son. "If you really need something, I will give it to you. I don't need the cook, or anyone else, to take care of you. You could be the smartest person in the world, but you're still seven."

Chopper's pout deepens, and he stares at his father defiantly. His lower lip is quivering though, and his eyes look more dewy that normal.

Sanji sighs and ruffles Chopper's hair softly. "You know Chopper, maybe you and your dad can move closer to the university. That's what I did."

"You went to New World?" Chopper asks, his surprise overpowering his need to defy his father.

"Yeah, for two years," Sanji smiles. "But I was working part-time to pay for school, too, so I couldn't afford the dorms. So I rented a place with a friend and we split the rent. I'm sure we can find a place close to the university that's still cheap. After all, it is a long drive from East Blue to New World."

"Can we, Dad?" Chopper turns to Zoro excitedly, argument forgotten. "Can we, please?"

"I'll…look into it," Zoro sighs. "Eat your vegetables."

"Fine," Chopper sighs, and bites into a large piece of broccoli.

"Wow, you two act just like parents," Nami mocks, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"Shut it, witch," Zoro growls.

Sanji smacks Zoro in the back of the head out of principle, but there's no feeling behind it. There is a little voice in the back of his mind telling him that something is wrong. There is something important that he's missing, something vital. And it has something to do with the feeling of hurt and disappointment he felt when Zoro said he didn't need him.

He cares too much about what Zoro thinks of him. But that's not it. He wants Zoro to want him. It's strange—and again, he does not like looking too closely into his own intentions—but he wants to mean as much to Zoro as Zoro means to him. He would never say it to his face, but Sanji respects Zoro. It's hard not to, after having spent so much time with him.

He glances at the oblivious marimo, silently seething at the nonchalant way he's seated on the chair, hands folded in front of him. Completely oblivious to Sanji's feelings. Zoro seems to sense someone looking at him because he turns to stare at Sanji, sparing him a slight smile—the first one given to Sanji—then returns to his nonchalance.

Realization hits hard and leaves him reeling: he likes Zoro.

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 **A/N: Robin, Franky, and Sanji are all post time-skip in relation to looks, with Sanji being 26 but Robin and Franky being 32 and 34 respectively. Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Luffy are all pre time-skip in appearance, with Zoro being 24 and the others aged respectively, except for Chopper of course. And this world is a mixture of our world and the Once Piece world. So everything is like a modern AU, but with hints of canon like Devil's Fruit and the name of locations...sorry it's all mixed up.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, lovelies! Thank you all so much for leaving reviews and likes! I really appreciate them. Unfortunately, I cannot take any suggestions about the plot of the story, since it's already finished and uploaded in AO3. Also, I know the story is a bit of a cliche-I read this story called For Your Convenience (I think that's right?), which I adore-but I hope you still give it a chance. But ya'll be glad to know that Zoro and Sanji get together pretty quick, and the story explores beyond their relationship. Well, without further ado, here's the third chapter!**

* * *

Once his feelings are brought to light, it's very easy to accept them. He's always been a man of romance, easily falling in and out of love at the drop of a hat. This is his first time feeling such way towards a man, but he doesn't let the thought deter him for too long. Suddenly, it's as if all of the feelings he has been ignoring are suddenly clamoring for attention inside his mind, leaving him feeling like an overworked parent. Everything is suddenly heightened and he finds himself discovering new things he likes about the green-haired man every day.

It's exhausting.

Two weeks after his revelation, Sanji finds himself walking the dark streets of Mock Town, an area even worse off than Zoro's neighborhood.

The Marines have long ago given up control in the area, so officers are rarely seen patrolling the streets. Most of the Grand Line's thieves and thugs have started off in Mock Town, and if you want to do something not exactly up to the World Government's regulations, Mock Town is the place to go.

Sanji briefly wonders if Zoro came here when he found himself needing money. Probably. He shakes off the thought of the green-haired man, focusing on his task. He stops at the Wild Cherry, a rundown pub that lives up to its name: wild. It's the only building in the street that is still intact, despite its decrepit state.

The bartender is a quiet old man who Sanji has never seen without his cleaning rag and an empty beer mug. It seems like the man's permanent state is that of methodically cleaning his mugs, whether said mug is clean or not unimportant.

The man doesn't spare him a glance as he makes his way to the door marked Employees Only. The door opens to a long, dark hall that leads to the underground building where tonight's fight is going to take place.

Robin texted him the address the night before, assuring him she had the information he wants.

The underground building is louder and rowdier than upstairs, everyone gathered around the pit that serves as the fighting arena. Men are yelling out bets for their favorites, teenagers walking around picking up money and writing down odds. There is a second floor, this one less crowded than the ground level, where the big shots are. Sanji can see Robin seated on a raised chair, Lucci standing next to her looking imposing as always.

She meets his eye and nods to the empty spot next to her, motioning for him to join her. He is stopped at the stairs, but a grunt from Lucci has the bouncer letting Sanji through.

"Good evening, Sanji," Robin says, her gaze on the fight currently going on below. Sanji doesn't spare them a glance; they are rookies, not worth his trouble.

"Robin; beautiful as always," Sanji says, stepping next to her. "Did I miss much?"

"Oh, plenty." There is a slight smile on Robin's face, the one that says 'I know more than you'. It's an expression Sanji sees often. "The Demon won his fight earlier this night."

"Not much of a surprise there," Sanji smirks. He does feel pretty disappointed about that. He wants to see the guy fight, at least just once. There aren't many people out there that can challenge him.

Robin's smile only widens. "I suppose so. Oh, I have your information as well. I'll hold on to it until after your fight, yes?"

"Please. Who am I fighting again?" Sanji asks curiously.

"Kuroobi of the Fish Men Tribe."

Sanji raises an eyebrow in surprise. "A Fish Man? One of Jinbei's?"

"Of course not. I am not so foolish as to attack a Grand Lord's soldier," Robin scoffs softly. "One of Arlong's."

Sanji decides not to mention that Arlong is technically one of Jinbei's. It will do him no good to anger her. He settles down next to her to watch the fight between the two competitors in the ring.

He has fought against Fish Men before. They are powerful adversaries, but their strength dwindles on solid ground. Kuroobi is no different. When the time comes for Sanji to fight him, he puts up a fight, but the cook ends victorious, defeating the hybrid with a well-placed mutton shot.

"Well done, Sanji," Robin praises once the fight is over. "As always."

"Thank you, Robin," Sanji grins. "Now, you said you had Zoro's information."

Robin hesitates, pulling out a wide envelope from the folds of her dress. "Yes. It was very difficult to obtain. This friend of yours has enemies in pretty high places."

Sanji frowns, taking the envelope from her. It isn't very thick, but if Robin is worried, there has to be something wrong.

"I'll be careful," Sanji promises. "Thank you, Robin."

"Good luck, Sanji," she says, her body slowly disappearing in a scatter of cherry blossoms. "You'll need it."

"She's so beautiful, but that always creeps me out," Sanji mutters once the raven woman is gone. He hurries out of the small room before someone else comes along. The thin envelope is burning a hole in his chest where he hid it, and when he gets to his car, he throws it in the back seat to keep from opening it right then.

He tries to take as much time as he can before he reads Zoro's file. He takes a shower, then prepares dinner, and even wastes some time watching TV. Finally, the siren call of Zoro's file is too much for Sanji, and just like that time he first met a mermaid, he succumbs to its call.

He grabs the envelope and rushes to his bedroom, sitting cross-legged in the middle of his bed, and dumps the contents in front of him. The first thing he notices is the pictures.

There are three of them. The most faded is of a pretty woman with curly brown hair. She's dressed in a fuzzy green sweater that hugs tightly her ample chest and tiny waist. She's glaring at the camera, but there is a slight smile on her face. She has Chopper's eyes. The next one is of Zoro. He looks younger, not older than eighteen. He's dressed in a forest green gi, his chest bare, a wooden sword tucked in his belt and a bright smile on his face. He looks less hardened, more content. He looks like a kid.

Sanji touches the picture softly, imagining meeting a Zoro that young. Would he have been more open back then?

The last picture is more current. In there, Zoro is kneeling in front of a younger Chopper. The little kid has a serious expression in his face, staring at his father resolutely. Zoro's back is facing the camera, but Sanji can almost imagine the same expression on the father's face. He's probably giving Chopper a speech about the honor of men or something like that. Sanji snorts.

The next couple of papers are copies of Chopper's birth certificate, a DNA certification proving that Chopper is indeed Zoro's son. The most important thing, though, is a contract.

Basically, it states that Alice Hemingsworth left a half a million Beri debt behind which Zoro made himself responsible to repay. Sanji drags a hand over his face. Zoro really is an idiot. It's obviously clear that all of the money Alice owed Crocodile is dirty money. If Zoro had taken it up to court, Crocodile would have lost the case easily.

But he can understand: Zoro had been too young and panicked at the thought of having a child's safety suddenly in his hands; Sanji can't imagine having to face that kind of responsibility.

He can see that Zoro already paid a quarter of it, not too bad considering he inherited the debt around four years ago. He drags his fingers over the large figure, staring at the picture of young Zoro. He looks so happy and free.

He wants to see him smile like that again. He wants to lift the weight the man holds on his shoulders, make everything a little easier for him. He wants Zoro to smile like in the picture again, because of him.

Just being their cook isn't enough. Sanji has to do something more. He has to mean something more.

New World University's Open House is on Friday night. Chopper keeps talking about it all through the week, excited about finally meeting his new teachers and class mates.

It has been hailed the best University in the world for many reasons, and its size proves it. The University is centered in the middle of New World, one of the world's major cities. The whole city's economy is greatly rooted in the University's success, and almost every citizen is an employee of the University in some way.

The Medical Wing is located near Drum Valley, connected to the rest main building by a wooden bridge. The Open House is the chance for Chopper not only to meet his new teachers, but also to get a deeper look into what college life holds for him. The streets are littered with booths and tents from the University's multiple clubs and organizations, all trying to recruit new members.

"Hi! My name is Coby, I'm the Student Body President!" a bright pink-haired teenager greets them, handing Zoro and Sanji equally bright pink flyers. The poor boy looks three sizes too big, since he has about three jackets on to fight the cold October wind. "I would like to personally welcome you two New World University and congratulate you in your admission!"

"Yeah, buddy, we're not students," Zoro says, balling up his flyer and throwing it away. "I'm twenty-four, way too old for this shit."

"Zoro, stop fucking cussing, you shitty bastard," Sanji snaps. "Chopper here is the new student," he adds for Coby's benefit.

Coby looks down at the nervous kid holding Zoro's hand and smiles brightly. "Oh, wow! You must be wicked smart, then!"

"Bastard! Don't think complimenting me is going to make me happy!" Chopper squeals suddenly, blushing red and hiding the wrong way behind Zoro.

Zoro and Sanji stares down at Chopper, surprised.

"I'm blaming you," Zoro says suddenly, looking at Sanji.

"Me? You curse more than I do!"

"I got it from both of you," Chopper informs them, stopping the fight before it can escalate.

"Just so you know, we are a completely inclusive institution that accepts people of every specie, religion, or sexual orientation," Coby says, smiling at the fighting couple.

"Oh, we're not—."

"Thanks," Zoro interrupts, a hand reaching down to squeeze Sanji's butt tightly. The cook gasps, his face heating up at the contact. "That's real good to hear, right, babe?"

"Y-yes," Sanji grits out, trying to ignore the heat pooling low in his stomach.

"Great! Well, I hope you enjoy the tour!" Coby gives them one last, bright smile and walks off to greet another newcomer.

"Shitty moss," Sanji snaps, digging his elbow into Zoro's side painfully. "Let's go, Chopper."

"Ow, shit. You got bony elbows!"

Sanji leads Chopper through the school, stopping at every booth so that the kid can ask a thousand questions about each organization. Zoro follows a few feet behind them, glaring at anyone who stares at Chopper for too long.

Sanji glances back at the marimo just in time to catch him growling at some teenagers that are pointing at Chopper and whispering behind his back. Like this, with Chopper holding on to Sanji's hand and Zoro acting like an overprotective father behind them, it really looks like they are a family. He blushes, remembering the heat of Zoro's hand on his ass, his fingers digging into the firm muscle. He shakes his head, getting rid of those thoughts. It won't do any good.

They are standing in front of the New World Pre-Health Society, watching as Chopper chatters off with a pretty, lavender-haired student that introduced herself as Kobato, when someone calls Zoro's name.

Sanji looks up at the same time as Zoro, his eyes instantly falling on the dark-skinned man walking towards them. He's handsome, shaggy white hair brushing his jaw. He's taller than Sanji, his stance wide and imposing like Zoro's, but he's not as muscular as the green-haired man. He dons a black keikogi, a shinai tucked in his belt, seemingly unaware of the cold.

"Saga?"

Sanji freezes at the name. So this is Saga, Zoro's ex? He's not what Sanji had been expecting. Not that he had given much thought to the infamous Saga, but this man definitely isn't what he pictured.

"Hey, long time no see," Saga says, stopping in front of Zoro. "What are you doing here?"

"Chopper's enrolled in the university." Zoro nods back towards the booth where Chopper is trying to talk Kobato's ear off. The older woman is staring at Chopper with wide eyes, her mouth slightly agape. Sanji smirks; Kobato has no idea what she got herself into when she decided to befriend the excitable little boy.

"Oh really? That's amazing!" Saga exclaims. "What is he now? Nine?"

"Seven."

"Oh right. Hey, does he still do that thing where he hides the wrong way?" Saga asks.

Zoro laughs. "Yeah. Every time."

"Man, that was adorable." Saga stares at Chopper, a slight smile on his face. "I was pretty stupid back then, huh?"

Zoro doesn't say anything, but doesn't take his eyes off Saga. Sanji can see him studying the man, eyes roaming his body, a strange emotion flickering behind the dark green eyes.

"So who're you?" Saga suddenly asks, glancing at Sanji.

"That's the cook," Zoro says before Sanji can answer. "He's a friend."

Sanji winces, scowling when Saga smirks his way. "My name is Sanji. About time you learned it, you shitty moss."

"Why should I? You don't seem to remember my name either, shit cook."

Sanji scoffs and crosses his arms, but doesn't say anything. He doesn't like the way Saga is looking at Zoro, hating even more the appreciative looks Zoro is sending the other man. Is this Zoro's type? Dark-skinned and moody—shit, Sanji doesn't stand a chance, does he?

"Sanji! Come here, look!" Chopper yells, waving him over.

"I'm coming!" Sanji turns back to the ex-couple. "It was nice meeting you, Saga. Later."

"You too, Sanji."

Sanji doesn't want to leave Saga alone with Zoro, but it isn't like he has much of a choice. Chopper called him over and he doesn't have an excuse to stay behind with Zoro. So he grudgingly leaves them and joins Chopper and Kobato.

"Sanji, guess what? Kobato said I can join the Pre-Health Society," Chopper says excitedly, tugging on Sanji's arm.

"Chopper truly has a gift for medicine." Kobato speaks excitedly. "His understanding of the human body is well beyond that of a beginner. He would be a great asset in the medical field."

"Kobato is studying to be a pediatrician!" Chopper says. "She's already a senior, and she's at the top of her class!"

"It's really nothing," Kobato says, blushing.

"Kobato says that there's going to be a conference on Devil's Fruits and their effects on the human body tomorrow," Chopper continues excitedly. "But it's a two day conference, so I would have to spend the night here at the school."

"It's really no problem. He can stay in the dorms with me. I have an extra bed," Kobato says.

Sanji hesitates. "I don't know about that…you would have to ask your father, Chopper."

"Ask me what?" Zoro suddenly says from behind Sanji, making the blonde jump.

"Dad, can I stay with Kobato in the dorms tomorrow night to attend a conference about Devil's Fruits?" Chopper asks, face in full pleading mode.

"Yeah, sure."

Sanji stares at the green-haired man, surprised. "You're letting him?!"

"What of it? He's going to a conference." Zoro rolls his eyes. "He's going to be doing a lot of things like that from now on, and I can't exactly interfere with his education. Besides, if anything happens to Chopper, I can always kill Kobato."

"Thanks, Dad!" Chopper exclaims, ignoring his stammering friend.

"I thought we'd agreed that he was too young to stay in the dorms by himself," Sanji reminds him testily.

Zoro snorts. "He's only staying a day cook. It's not the end of the world."

"I won't let you down, Dad," Chopper says firmly. "I'll be really good!"

"I'll take good care of him," Kobato adds, giving Zoro a nervous look. "Don't worry."

"Good. Now, let's get on with the tour!"

Sanji can't believe it. Just a few days ago, Zoro argued with Chopper about being too young to stay in the dorms by himself, and now he's letting him stay with a stranger? What gives? He wants to argue some more, but Zoro is Chopper's father, and Sanji has no say. Besides, Chopper looks really excited and Kobato looks like a nice girl. And what Zoro said is true: they can't exactly interfere with Chopper's education. He may still be young, but Chopper is going to have to be given more freedom than what a regular seven-year-old experiences. It comes with being a genius.

He also wants to know what Zoro and Saga talked about, but doesn't know a way to breach the subject. He knows Zoro won't tell him on his own, and the green-haired man doesn't mention his ex at all throughout the day.

Almost three weeks later, Sanji finds himself yet again preparing breakfast for the Roronoa Family. He drops Chopper off at Kobato's after the meal (she's a good girl, and after multiple sleep-overs, both Zoro and Sanji have started to trust her more), and stops at the Baratie for a little while, then visits Robin again. He has a couple of more favors to ask of her, and leaves after promising to win another fight for her.

Since Zoro mentioned something about getting a day off, he heads back to his apartment to prepare the man lunch.

Luffy, Usopp, and Nami are at the apartment with Zoro, hanging out. The rubber boy greets Sanji with an impossibly tight hug and then demands food. Sanji complies, but only because he had already planned on making the marimo food.

"Oh wow! This is delicious, Sanji!" Nami exclaims as the group eats the beef stew Sanji prepared. It's relatively simple, but still perfectly made.

"Why, thank you, Nami-swan," Sanji grins.

"You must be a great chef, if you can cook like this," Usopp adds, stabbing Luffy in the hand with a fork when the rubber boy tries to steal one of his bread rolls.

"I'm the Baratie's Sous Chef," Sanji declares proudly.

"The Baratie's? You mean that ridiculously expensive restaurant?" Nami gasps. "You work there?"

"I own it. Well, co-own it. My father and I opened the restaurant when I was about eleven."

"You must be loaded," Nami grins, a dangerous glint to her eye. "One plate there is like sixty Beri! You guys must make close to ten thousand Beri a night!"

"Well yes…a little more than that, actually," Sanji shrugs. "But it wasn't always like that; it took us almost eight years to start seeing any real profit, and even now, out of every 100,000 Beri that the restaurant makes, we only get to keep a little more than half for ourselves. Everything else is spent in produce, salary wages, and miscellaneous."

"Guess you're not rich, then," Zoro sneers. "You shouldn't waste your father's money, cook."

"I am rich…filthily so. But that money was made outside of the Baratie. When Zeff started hiring new employees, I took the opportunity to travel and gain experience elsewhere. I saw a bigger profit as a chef than a restaurant owner, so I made most of my fortune there. I also worked for Galley-La for a little while as the personal chef for the company's vice-president, and other random jobs during my stay at New World."

He doesn't want to go into specifics about his other jobs, since they're not things he's proud of—and most of them are embarrassing. He decides not to mention the money he inherited from his parents either, or the couple million Beri he earned while working under Robin. Most of that money came from underground ring fighting or other types of illegal activities.

"So that's why you're completely fine with giving money away to strangers, huh?" Zoro gives him a sardonic smile. "How many bastards did you help before me?"

Sanji scowls. "I'm not a walking charity bank. I don't go around helping strangers, if that's what you're asking. I fed you because I'm a cook, and that's what cooks do; they feed people. Everything that I did after that you can thank your completely adorable son."

"You're a good person, Sanji," Luffy says, an uncharacteristic serious face on his face that halts the conversation. "And you cook great food!" he adds, bright smile bubbling up.

"You are so weird sometimes, Luffy." Nami rolls her eyes but gives the smiling teenager a teasing smile. "Eat your food, because we're not getting any at the club."

Before Sanji can ask her what she's talking about, there is a knock on the door. Zoro hurries to get it, opening the door to reveal Saga; he shed his black gi for a pair of black, tight pants and a purple long-sleeve shirt under an open brown waxed cotton jacket. Sanji can see his stomach muscles flexing when he raises a hand to show Zoro shiny black keys.

"Are you all ready?" he asks, giving Zoro an appreciative onceover.

"Hell yeah," Zoro grins. "Come in, let me get my wallet." He steps back and goes inside the bedroom.

Sanji watches Saga come in, noticing the slight scowl that pools between his eyes when his eyes fell on Sanji. He decides to ignore the cook to greet Nami and the others.

"Saga! It's been such a long time," Nami squeals, jumping to her feet to hug the man. "I couldn't believe it when Zoro said he saw you again."

"Yeah, I'm one of the Kendo instructors in New World," Saga nods.

There is an awkwardness hanging around Nami and Saga, and Sanji can feel the other man looking at him. It's clear the group made plans to go out tonight, and none of them wants Sanji to come. He feels sick to his stomach. He picks up the dirty dishes from the counter and places them in the sink.

"I—I think I should head home," Sanji says once all of the dishes have been picked up. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Yeah. See you later." Zoro has changed his shirt, choosing a more form-fitted Henley that rides up his belly to reveal a long stretch of perfectly tanned skin and a black faux leather jacket. His jeans ride low enough on his hips that Sanji can see the sharp V-cut that leads towards—he needs to look away. Now.

"Sanji should totally come!" Luffy exclaims, surprising everyone.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Saga says, glancing at Sanji.

He scowls. Who does that shitty bastard think he is? So what if Zoro doesn't like Sanji? Saga has no fucking right to just come back into Zoro's life when the green-haired man already kicked him out. And what is Zoro thinking? Doesn't he remember how Saga treated Chopper? Is Saga the reason why Zoro is giving more freedom to Chopper, despite his young age?

"And why's that?" he growls, glaring daggers at the Kendo instructor.

"Saga's right, Sanji," Zoro shrugs. "We're going to a gay club. Doesn't seem like your type of scene."

"It doesn't matter; it'll be fun," Luffy declares, his voice so sure that there is no way anyone can argue.

"Yeah, it'll be fun," Sanji agrees, smirking at Saga.

"If you say so," Zoro shrugs. "Come on; let's go."

Saga brought his truck, which is big enough to sit all of them comfortably. Saga and Zoro ride shotgun, but since Nami is seated next to Sanji, her leg pressed tightly against his own, he doesn't really mind.

The club Saga is taking them to is called Level 5.5. Sanji has never heard of it, despite its apparent popularity. It's a bright pink building, the outside decorated with even brighter lights, the huge Level 5.5 sign in front flashing purple and red. There is a line curling around the street near the entrance, everyone waiting for the bouncers to let them in. Sanji can see mostly men, though they are a couple of beautiful ladies there, too.

"Saga! Man, it's nice to see you," the bouncer, a huge dark-skinned man with a shaved head, greets.

"Hey, Tom. Brought some friends over," Saga says, nodding to the group. Sanji glances at the line waiting to enter, but none of them seem mad that their little group has basically skipped them all.

"I see. Luffy! Man, Bon is sure gonna be glad to see you," Tom says, smiling at the black-haired boy.

"Bon-chan's here? Cool! Usopp, let's go!" Luffy cries, grabbing his friend's hand and rushing in.

"Luffy! You have to—argh, that boy never listens," Zoro growls.

"It's fine; he's friends with the owner," Tom grins. "You all can go in, too. Have fun, lover boys." Tom waggles his eyebrows at Sanji, his eyes latching on to his ass.

Sanji growls and reaches for one of the cigarettes in his breast pocket. The rush of nicotine is a welcomed bliss and it's just the thing he needs to step inside the club.

He's instantly assaulted by the smell of cheap perfume and sweat. The inside of the club is dark, neon lights flashing to the beat of the music. It's heavily crowded, bodies moving against each other to the sound of music. In the center of the room is a stage, three poles spread across where men are dancing in too tiny outfits. There are multiple cages scattered around the floor, some of them hanging from the ceiling, and Sanji can see dancers inside, too, their sweaty bodies glistening against the flashing lights.

This all horribly reminds him of—

"CANDY BOY!"

"Oh shit, no!" Sanji yells, rushing to get out before that man can get to him.

"EVERYBODY! IT'S CANDY BOY!"

The lights turn on, the music stop, and everyone stops to turn and stare at the escaping Sanji. He freezes like a deer in headlights, staring at the horrific sight of his ex-boss Ivankov.

"Have you come back to me, candy boy?" Iva is dressed in that ridiculous outfit Sanji hates so much. It's purple, and stretchy, and way too small for such a large man. He has on black stiletto boots, and a large crown is nestled perfectly on top of his wild curls.

"Cook, you know this guy?" Zoro asks, staring between the transvestite and the cook.

"Of course he does! Candy boy is the best dancer I've ever had!" Iva exclaims. "This sweet candy sure knows how to move his tight little—."

Sanji strikes before Iva finishes that sentence, moving fast to hit the drag queen in the head with the strength of a speeding truck.

Ivankov is sent flying back, crashing into one of the cages.

"Iva!" Saga gasps.

"Cook, what the hell?"

"What do you think you're saying, you shitty bastard!?" Sanji yells at the man struggling to get to his feet. "Working for you was hell, you fucking drag queen! I wouldn't have done it if you hadn't forced me to!"

"Iva-chan! Are you okay?" a red headed dancer asks, rushing towards the owner.

"I'm…I'm…I'm FINE!" Iva yells, jumping to his feet in a pose. Sanji rolls his eyes, used to the man's acting. "Candy boy, you shouldn't be too mean to me."

"You used to work here?" Nami asks incredulously. With Iva's faked recovery, normalcy returns to the club. The lights are turned off again and the music is put on full blast.

"Not here," Sanji sighs. "Iva owns another club called Kamabakka Kingdom. That's where I used to work."

"You? An exotic dancer at a gay club?" Saga snorts. "Man, I would've loved to see that."

"Sanji came to me looking to learn about my exquisite Attack Cuisine," Iva informs the group. "I told him I would teach him if he worked for me for six months."

"Worst decision of my life," Sanji snarls.

"Oh, it wasn't that bad," Iva purrs. "You made a lot of fans, candy boy. Won't you hit the stage for one last song? It would be a fine treat for all my guests."

"Like hell I will, you shitty bastard," Sanji yells, raising a leg threateningly.

"Alright, alright! Well, the stage is yours if you change your mind! I have to go now, lovelies. Enjoy the show. Hee-haw!" He leaves them, blowing back kisses as he does.

"Let's listen to the man!" Saga exclaims, grabbing Zoro's hand to drag him to the dance floor.

"Come get a drink with me," Nami says, grabbing Sanji. "Man, I love gay clubs!"

"Why is that?" Sanji asks, having to lean in a little closer to her to be heard. He holds his cigarette between his fingers, not wanting to accidentally burn the red-head.

"I can dance all I want without having sleazy guys hit on me," Nami replies. "Hey, two strawberry daiquiris." The bartender nods.

"Not all—."

"Don't be one of those guys, Sanji," Nami interrupts. "Besides, I much prefer pussy. Vivi!"

Sanji watches with wide eyes as Nami leaves him to join a pretty blue-haired woman wearing a sequin blue dress. The two girls kiss passionately, before Vivi drags her off to one of the more secluded areas.

Sanji sighs and moves to sit on one of the many sofas scattered around the floor. They are supposed to be used for people that want a personal lap dance, but one look at the glowering cook is enough to keep all of the dancers away. It had been a bad idea after all to come here. Not only is he in Iva's club—which is more of a strip club-slash-brothel than anything else—but he's forced to watch as Saga and Zoro make out in the dance floor.

Zoro and Saga are still dancing, the white-haired man grinding his ass on Zoro's crotch. Sanji studies Zoro's face. His eyes are screwed shut, the always-present scowl showing more pleasure than anything. There is sweat on his upper lip and pooling on his collarbone. His whole body is shining, every muscle flexing as he moves his body sensually.

"Didn't know you went for younger men."

Sanji jumps and glances at the newcomer. He's a tall man, handsome despite the missing eyebrows. His fiery red hair is slicked back and his metal hand is holding a glass of whiskey for Sanji.

"I thought you'd quit already, Kid," Sanji grins.

"Dude, are you kidding? I make a fortune here," Kid laughs, sitting down next to Sanji. "And my girlfriend doesn't have to worry that I'm cheating on her or something."

"How's Bonney?"

"She's good."

Kid started working for Iva around the same time Sanji had. He was the only other straight man in the club, so he and Sanji had struck a quick friendship. He hadn't talked to the man since he quit, about five years ago.

"So…what do you see in the guy?" Kid asks, nodding to the dancing couple.

"I don't like Saga," Sanji snorts, drinking from the glass Kid gave him.

"So it's the green-haired one." Kid grins at the ugly look Sanji sends his way. "What? You've been checking him out all night. If looks could fuck…"

"You're an idiot," Sanji says flatly.

"You should totally hit that," Kid hums. "You're way hotter than that other one."

"He's the ex-boyfriend," Sanji explains. "I don't stand a chance."

"Sanji Black, doesn't stand a chance? Dude, I was a little bi-curious because of you," Kid snorts. "Trust me, all you have to do is show him what he's missing…wanna put on a show for old time's sake?"

Sanji flicks the end of his cigarette on the ground, staring at the dancing couple. Saga has his hands wrapped around Zoro's shoulders, biting at his neck while Zoro grinds into him. It looks more like clothed sex than dancing.

"We'll make him so jealous, his whole body will turn green," Kid whispers, leaning into Sanji's personal space. Sanji looks at his old friend, thinking. He has always felt comfortable dancing with Kid, perhaps because he knows he's unbelievingly in love with Bonney, maybe because they are such good friends.

And being totally honest, Sanji is a good dancer. He made a lot of money working for Iva. He had fans, men that returned night after night just to watch him dance. And Sanji likes dancing. It's like fighting, except he allows himself to use his hands.

"One last dance won't hurt," Sanji finally says, grinning.

Kid returns it, looking quite evil without his eyebrows, and grabs Sanji's hand. The beat of the song playing is fast and loud, the type of music that makes you want to grab your partner and just go wild.

Dancing with Kid is like fighting. The older man is full of raw power, his every move full of barely contained strength. Sanji, however, is grace and flexibility, molding his body to the sharp contour of Kid's. He follows every time Kid pulls, two forces working together to form something smooth and controlled.

Kid's hands on his hips are soft, his touch barely there. He trails his hands all over Sanji's body, never actually touching, though to everyone else it looks like he can't get enough of the blonde. Sanji, for his part, responds to every fake touch with a feverish passion, letting his eyelids droop and his mouth gasp, a fine sheen of sweat coating his skin.

"He's looking at us," Kid whispers in Sanji's ear, making the blonde shudder. "I can feel his eyes on us."

Sanji drops his head on Kid's shoulder, glancing at Zoro from behind his curtain of hair. Kid is right: Zoro has stopped dancing with Saga to watch them, his mouth set in a grim line. Saga, too, is watching them, though he looks more annoyed than angry, every once in a while stealing glances at Zoro.

"Don't punch me," Kid whispers, and Sanji turns to ask him what he means when suddenly demanding lips are being pressed against him and a hot tongue licks at his bottom lip.

Sanji reacts instinctively, pushing his friend back angrily. "What the—."

"Hey, what the hell is your problem?!" It's Zoro, holding Kid's shoulder in a death grip. If the arm wasn't made of reinforced steal, Sanji is sure it would've already broken.

"Sorry man," Kid says quickly, giving Sanji a sheepish smile. "I thought you wanted it."

"Think again, buddy," Zoro snarls, pushing Kid away. "Come on, cook. We're about to head home; need a ride?"

"Uh…yeah." Sanji glances at Saga, then at Kid who still has that uncharacteristic sheepish smile. "I'm coming."

He follows Zoro and Saga out of the club, making sure to meet Kid's eyes and mouth a soft thank you before he leaves. Kid only grins.

Supple, pale skin stretches before him. Hair, the same color as the first rays of sunshine, pool on the white pillow. A smoky voice groans, the sound punctured by a shuddering breath. Legs that stretch out for miles wrap around him, bringing him closer to that burning skin. Long fingers dig into his shoulder, blunt nails rake down his back. The scent of smoke and spices invades his senses as a warm mouth presses against his. He licks his way in, tasting something bittersweet and entirely too addictive.

"Zoro…"

He sits up, breathing hard. It takes him a moment to gather his senses, remembering the events from the night before. Saga grinding on him, Sanji dancing with that bastard, driving home. Sanji leaving…turning down Saga's offer.

He looks down at his aching member accusingly, flashes of his dream playing behind his eyes. "I can't fucking believe this," he mutters, rubbing the heel of his palm against his eyes.

This is not the first time he dreams about Sanji. He has already lost count, in fact. He isn't that concerned about the sex dreams—no, Sanji is hot as fuck and dreaming about fucking him in every surface of his home is to be expected. He's only human—but the innocent dreams…those are a whole other ball game.

Dreams where he does nothing more but lay in bed with the blonde. Dreams where they go to the park, Chopper playing a couple of feet away. Dreams where their hands are the only things that touch.

Those dreams are dangerous. He thought fucking Saga would rid him of those thoughts, but he wasn't even been able to get hard.

He sighs and gets out of bed after taking care of his aching erection. It's still dark out; he checks his phone, noticing the text Chopper sent him asking him to pick him up at six in the evening. He replies with a confirmation, grabs a change of clothes, and hits the shower.

The first rays of sunshine are shining when he gets out. He dries off his hair and checks his door where Morgan has yet again taped another Last Notice form. He always takes them off before the cook gets here; he's sure Sanji will offer him money to pay his rent, or worse—offer his own home.

He throws his towel on the couch and heads to the kitchen, reaching for the white metal box he keeps hidden in one of the cabinets behind some cereal boxes. The last time he ate cereal for breakfast was during that week he kept away from Sanji. He'd thought space would make the dreams go away, but they only became more vivid.

He counts the money. He doesn't have to worry about groceries anymore, but he still has a lot of bills to pay. He has already paid his water bill, but his electricity and gas bill are past due. Not to mention rent, which is two and a half months overdue. There is also the money he owes crocodile, and the one he owes Sanji for paying Chopper's tuition. Though he's sure the cook won't say anything if Zoro is a little bit late on that payment.

He made 300 Beri with Ririka, which can pay the electricity, which is two months overdue. His two other paychecks—one from the sword shop on Loguetown and the other one from the garage on South blueJaya—add up to 700 Beri. And he has another 500 Beri still saved from his last fight.

His gas bill is 120, rent is 800 Beri (2,000 Beri, if he wants to catch up on his payments), and Crocodile asks for at least 1,000 Beri a month. He's short again. Not to mention his phone bill is about to be due, and he can't afford to have it disconnected now that Chopper is in college. His son also received his list of materials two days ago, and most of the books in the list are expensive. Hell, the cheapest one is sixty Beri, and that is from a second-hand bookstore.

His gas bill is a necessity. If they cut off his gas, he won't be able to cook—or Sanji won't, and then the cook would notice something is wrong. Skipping on Crocodile's payment is suicide. So that leaves him 80 Beri—180 Beri if he only gives 200 to the electricity company as a week extension so he can wait for his next paycheck. Except he gets paid every two weeks, not every week and they already gave him a month extension from last month's. And 180 is still nowhere near enough to pay for rent.

Fuck. He can always leave this place. Sanji did give him the idea of moving, but he can't afford to right now. Not only would he have to pay a deposit on all of his utilities, but moving close to the university will get him away from his jobs. And he doesn't own a car. So he's fucked, either way.

Maybe he can crash with one of his friends for a little while. Except…well, Luffy is staying with Ace and his boyfriend, and Nami lives with Vivi. He still has Usopp, though—Sanji is not even an option. He's positive Sanji will readily welcome him, but he's determined not to take any more charity from the blonde. It only widens the gap between them, a forceful reminder of just how fucking far out of his league Sanji is.

No, he needs to pay rent.

That means another fight. If he bags a good opponent, he can easily make 1,000 Beri in a night. He made 1,500 on the Kaku fight, and part of that had paid for the last gas bill and Chopper's applications fees (who the fuck charges students to apply to school? The fucking World Government, that's who).

His decision made, he stuffs all of the money in his front pocket, grabs an apple from the fruit bowl Sanji bought, and sends a quick text to Ippon-Matsu asking him for the morning off. He ignores the reply, knowing it's probably his boss cursing him out.

He takes care of his bills first, then heads off to Rain Dinners, the hotel Crocodile owns. It takes him a while to find the place since the streets keep moving, so it's close to noon by the time he walks past the main doors.

"Mr. Roronoa, right this way."

Zoro follows the man, knowing better than to ask how the guy knows who he is. Every time he comes here, a different person leads him to Crocodile's office.

Except, this time, he's led to a different room. This one is smaller, still nicer than anything Zoro has ever seen, but definitely not the big boss's office. He turns around, ready to bitch out the employee who led him wrong, only to come face to face with a black-haired woman.

"Mr. Roronoa, it's so nice to meet you," she says. Her voice reminds him of Sanji; not because she has a man's voice, but because it gives off the same feeling of class and superiority—it makes Zoro feel like he's in the presence of someone important, someone that is way out of his reach. Even when the cook curses, he sounds like some kind of prince.

"Who the fuck are you?" He doesn't like this woman. All of his instincts are telling him she's dangerous, and they are never wrong.

"My name is Nico Robin," she replies, pleasant smile still in place. "I'm sorry if this is unexpected; I have actually been looking forward to meeting you."

"Yeah? And why is that?"

"Well, it's not every day that one gets the opportunity to speak with the Demon of East Blue." Her smile widens, but there still isn't any mirth in her eyes. Those eyes are cold and calculating, reading Zoro like a book. He doesn't trust those eyes.

"Yeah, well, we've met. Can I go now? I have business here," Zoro growls, making as if to move past the woman, but she simply moves to block his way.

"I see you're not one for pleasantries." Neither her expression nor her tone of voice changes. It's actually quite creepy. "Maybe I should just cut to the reason why you're here?"

"That would be great, yeah."

"I am well aware of your financial problems, Mr. Roronoa," Robin begins. "The debt you owe Sir Crocodile is a hefty one; more than you can pay in your lifetime."

"Get on with it, lady." Zoro is beginning to lose his patience. He doesn't like it when people know more about him than he does them.

"I am prepared to help you pay this debt." The woman glances at her perfectly manicured nails, then meets Zoro's eyes. "How does three hundred thousand Beri sound? That would pay for most of it, wouldn't it?

Zoro stares at her, mouth agape. Three hundred thousand Beri? It would take him over a decade to pay Crocodile that amount of money, and that is if he gives all of his earnings to the man. Shit, he has never even seen that much money at one time. This has to be some kind of joke, right?

"And what is it that I would have to do in return, huh?" Zoro scoffs. "Sell my soul to you? No, let me guess…you wanna get all of my organs and sell them in the black market?"

"I want you to kill someone for me." All pretense is dropped. Her face hardens, her mouth sets in a thin line, and her eyes darken. This is her true form, the form that makes Zoro's instincts shriek at him to get away. "During one of your fights."

"A fight? Against who?" Who the fuck can be worth so much damn money?

"He goes by the name of Black Leg. He's a powerful opponent, one that has been a painful thorn on my side for the last couple of years. He has defeated every man I have set against him; you are my last chance. I can arrange a fight between the two of you for Thursday evening. You will only have to kill this man, and the money is yours."

Zoro hesitates. He isn't above killing someone; in fact, he has already killed a couple of people during his fights. It's just one of the dangers of the ring. But he finds it hard to believe that someone can be worth so much money. This guy probably fucked up badly for Robin to be so desperate to off him. Poor chap.

"Alright. I'll do it."

Robin's eyes narrow. "Very well. I will set up the fight. One of my associates will let you know the details at a later time. And remember, Mr. Roronoa…defeating Black Leg isn't enough; you have to kill him. If you don't, you can kiss all that money goodbye."

"I says I'd do it," Zoro spits. "So I fucking will."

"Good bye, Mr. Roronoa."

He waits until the woman is out of the room to release the breath he's holding. Today seems to be his lucky day.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks to all the lovely people who left reviews and also to those who didn't but took the time to read the story~! Just a warning, this chapter contains explicit sexual scenes towards the end, which you can skip if you don't like that kind of stuff. Just as a warning, this was the very first time I've ever written any explicit smut, so there are some pretty cringe-worthy parts. Sorry about that. Sometimes I think about changing it, but again, the story has already been posted. To put it into perspective, this is the first story I ever, ever wrote, even before all the One Shots I've posted. So yeah...it gets better, I promise.**

* * *

On Thursday, Chopper stays with Kobato again. Chopper really likes the older girl, and Kobato is in awe of Chopper's adorableness. Zoro is sure the two will be great friends, more so now that classes start in less than two months.

He leaves his home at five though the fight isn't supposed to start until eight. His foresight proves to be correct when the streets move on his way over and he wastes a couple of hours trying to find his way back to Mock Town. When he arrives, he's stopped by a curly-haired man he has seen Luffy fight a couple of times. The man introduces himself as Lucci, Robin's assistant, and leads him to one of the private rooms in the back where the black-haired woman is waiting for him.

"Good evening, Mr. Roronoa," she greets him. She's standing in the middle of the room, a glass of wine held in her small hand. "I'm very happy to see you."

"Yeah, whatever. So, when is my fight starting?" Zoro growls, squeezing Kitetsu as he feels the sharp jab of bloodlust the sword lets out. Robin's gaze falls to it.

"In a couple of minutes. Black Leg arrived just moments before you. He's getting ready as you speak. I just want to make sure our deal still holds."

"Yeah, yeah. Kill the guy, hand you his head on a stick. Anything else?"

"That would be it." Robin's smile is amused, but her eyes are sharp. "Good luck, Mr. Roronoa. You'll need it."

Zoro scoffs and leaves. He has met a couple of opponents in the ring that have tested his skills though none that have defeated him yet. Zoro has only experienced defeat twice in his life: the first against his best rival, and the second in the hands of the world's best swordsman, Mihawk.

He makes his way to the pit's entrance, waiting for the announcer to call his name. He can hear the people outside cheering and yelling, eager to see violence and blood, but blocks them out.

This is the biggest fight of his life. It will change everything. If he kills this man, all of his problems will be solved. He can go a whole fucking year without paying Crocodile and the fucker won't even be able to say anything. He can finally get his life together, get himself out of the shithole he dug for himself all those years ago. He can climb his way up to Sanji's level and become his equal. He will finally be able to offer Chopper something more than scraps.

He grabs his bandana and ties it around his head as the announcer yells out his epithet, some stupid shit his friend Johnny gave him during his first fight. He walks forward, the bright lights momentarily blinding him until he's at the center of the ring, facing his opponent.

"Zoro?"

Zoro takes a step back, shock numbing his body. Sanji stands in front of him, dressed in his usual black suit, the smooth fabric pulled taut around his wide shoulders and firm ass. His hair is styled like usual, parted to reveal that stupid curly eyebrow that Zoro will never admit he actually finds attractive. A cigarette is held between the index and middle finger, forgotten as the cook gazes back at him in surprise.

"Zoro? What the hell are you doing here? Holy shit, are you—are you the Demon?"

He has to kill Sanji. He looks down at the cook's legs—the same ones he imagined wrapped around his waist so many times—and at the black clothing hiding them from sight. Black Leg. He has to kill Sanji. There is no other way. Chopper is more important than the cook, more important than anyone.

He has to kill Black Leg.

"Zoro, are you listening to me, you shitty moss? I'm talking to—!"

Zoro strikes suddenly with Kitetsu, the dark sword crying out in glee as it's finally given the opportunity to draw blood. Sanji is surprised, but he reacts quickly, bringing up a leg to block the sword.

Zoro is surprised when Kitetsu doesn't slice through the leg. The cook must be stronger than he looks. He remembers the perfect kick he delivered to Ivankov, a member of the Revolutionary Army. Yes, Sanji is strong. It won't do him well to underestimate him.

"What the hell is wrong with you, marimo?!" Sanji yells, jumping back. "Are you trying to kill me?"

Zoro draws Yubashiri in lieu of an answer, instantly falling into another attack.

"Fine, then, you stupid moss," Sanji yells. "You wanna fight? I'll give you a fight!"

He blocks Kitetsu with his right leg, twisting his body away to evade Yubashiri. Zoro's eyes widen in grudging admiration. The cook is fucking flexible as hell. His mind instantly provides him with ways he can take advantage of that flexibility: bending him over until his knees touch his shoulders, or maybe on their feet, with the cook bent at the waist and completely spread open as Zoro—

"Stop blanking out!" Sanji snaps, delivering a kick that would've taken Zoro's head if the man hadn't blocked it with Kitetsu. "You can't defeat me that easily, shitty swordsman."

Zoro pushes him back, trying to knock him off balance, but Sanji simply drops into a handstand and lashes out at his chest.

It's exhilarating. Sanji is challenging him in ways no one has done in a long time. Trying to fight Sanji is like trying to fight water. He isn't as physically strong as Zoro—though apparently still stronger than a normal person—but he makes up for it with his speed. Every time Zoro tries to trap him, the cook frees himself, his body flexing in ways that just aren't possible.

It's clear that Sanji's strength lies on his legs, each one showing the power to easily crush him if he lets himself be trapped by them. Every time Zoro parries, a long leg blocks it. They are equally matched.

Maybe it's time to bring out Wado.

"Is that how you use that third sword?" Sanji scoffs when Zoro puts Wado in his mouth. "You look fucking ridiculous!"

Zoro snarls, pissed off, and delivers one of his flying attacks, the strength of it destroying part of the ring and sending the spectators fleeing back. Sanji evades it, landing perfectly upright a couple of feet away.

"You're pissing me off, marimo," Sanji growls, tapping the toe of his shoe on the ground. "I'm going to kick your ass."

"Bring it, shit cook," Zoro snarls, goading the cook into fighting.

Seriously pissed off now, Sanji's legs seems to have doubled in strength, and his speed is so fast, Zoro can hardly keep track of him. The cook is fighting him seriously now, and while he isn't aiming to kill, like Zoro, he's definitely not afraid to do some serious damage to the swordsman. His previous assessment of the cook's strength is shot to hell when he realizes Sanji is just as physically strong as he is, maybe even more.

He seriously needs to stop underestimating the cook.

But Sanji has a weakness. Zoro has noticed that the man never strikes with his hands. In multiple occasions, he's had the chance to punch Zoro, but he jumps back instead. It seems like Sanji doesn't want to damage his hands, which make sense seeing as he's a cook.

It leaves him vulnerable and open, just the thing Zoro needs to gain the advantage. He feints left and strikes forward.

"Careful, marimo. That's my hand," Sanji mutters when Zoro swings Yubashiri at his right arm, the cook twisting to block it with his leg.

Zoro ignores him, taking advantage of the fact that Sanji has been forced to put all of his weight into his right leg to knock him off balance. Sanji falls on his back painfully and Zoro instantly straddles him so he won't be able use those fucking powerful legs of him.

"This is fucking it, cook," he growls, pressing Kitetsu to the tender skin of his neck. Sanji bucks in surprise and Zoro grinds down with his hips, forcing him back down.

"Ah!"

Zoro blinks, watching as the blood rushes to Sanji's cheeks, his eyes just as wide as Zoro's. Did he just…?

"Get off me, you useless swordsman!" Sanji snaps, trying to dislodge him. He nicks himself with Kitetsu, a drop of blood dripping down his neck to hit the floor. Sanji doesn't seem to notice, struggling harder.

Does he think Zoro is going to move Kitetsu? Why isn't he scared? Zoro has a fucking sword to his neck and the cook is still spouting off insults—and apparently hard underneath him. What the hell is wrong with him? Doesn't he understand Zoro is going to kill him?

No. He trusts you.

Sanji bucks harder, the cut on his neck deepening, and Zoro jumps off him as if burned. What the fuck is he thinking? He can't fucking kill Sanji!

Not after all Sanji has done for him. Not when he trusts Zoro so much. Not when killing him would mean Zoro will never get to eat his food again, or hear his insults, or smell that tantalizing combination of smoke and a thousand other spices that isn't supposed to smell as good as it does.

"Finally, moss head! I was—."

Zoro grabs his arm, dragging him out of the ring. He needs to get them as far away from Robin as possible. He needs the cook to be prepared. He needs the cook to know.

"What are you doing?" Sanji hisses, but he follows Zoro. "Zoro? Oi, marimo, answer me!"

"Somebody hired me to kill you," Zoro spits, opening a random door that leads to a familiar looking room. Has he been here before?

"What? You were trying to kill me? Why?"

"Because I asked him to."

Zoro pushes Sanji behind him and raises Kitetsu to point threateningly at Robin. He didn't even hear her sneak up on them.

"Robin?" Sanji asks, looking at the woman confusedly from behind Zoro.

"She's the one who hired me," Zoro growls. "She's the one who wants you dead."

"Wait, what?"

"If you put the sword down, we can discuss this calmly," Robin says, completely disregarding Zoro's sword.

"Yeah, fuck that," Zoro snarls. "You're going to get the fuck out of our way, or I will fucking kill you."

"Don't speak to her like that!" Sanji snaps, kicking him in the back of the head and bringing him to his knees.

"Ow! What the fuck, cook?!" he yells, jumping to his feet. "I'm trying to protect you here!"

"Protect me? Like you fucking can, you useless swordsman!"

"What did you call me, shit cook?"

"Watch your mouth, shitty moss. My food is heavenly!"

"Yeah, right. Dartboard brow!"

"Marimo!"

"Pervert!"

"Pervert?!"

"Oh my," Robin interrupts, giggling behind her hand. "You two sure are passionate."

Sanji blushes and steps back from Zoro, smoothing his suit. "Robin, can you please tell me what is going on? Why is Zoro saying you hired him to kill me?"

"Because I did," Robin replies simply, her slender shoulders shrugging. "Well, I made him think I did."

"What?" Zoro frowns, confused.

"Sanji is my friend, Zoro," Robin informs him, nodding towards the cook. "I've known him for close to ten years now. He's one of the few people I trust with my life. I would never wish him any harm."

"Then why did you tell me you were going to pay me three hundred thousand Beri to kill him?" Zoro snaps.

"Three…Robin, you didn't!" Sanji exclaims, blushing bright red for some reason.

"I wanted to see if you were capable of going through with it," Robin says, her gaze sharpening. "I was…nervous about you, I admit. Sanji seems to have taken a liking to you unnaturally fast, even more so considering that he has never shown any other man the compassion he shows you. When I first noticed his sexual attraction towards you, I was momentarily put at rest, thinking it was purely physical."

"Robin!" Sanji yelps, anguish clear on his face as the woman reveals his attraction for Zoro. The swordsman glances back at the cook, surprised. Sanji likes him?

"But then, Sanji started asking me for favors." Robin continues as if she hadn't heard Sanji, ignoring the mortification in the cook's face. "He first asked me to learn about the debt you owed Crocodile. That didn't seem too harmful though I was curious about his intentions. When he asked me for two of my agents to protect your son, I began to worry. It's clear he cares much about you; I was simply trying to see if you are worthy of his affections."

"Oh my god. Please kill me now," Sanji moans, hiding his face behind his hands.

"So the offer you made…"

"Completely coincidental." Robin smiles and shrugs. "Sanji is the one who gave me the three hundred thousand Beri. I was simply going to deliver it to Crocodile. But when I saw you, the plan formed in my mind, and I couldn't help myself. I had already paid Crocodile the money when I spoke to you. If you'd met with the man that day, he would've told you so."

"Wait…you mean you did pay that money?!" Zoro exclaims, completely floored.

"Of course. I wasn't supposed to tell you it was Sanji's money, but oh well." Robin shrugs in a ' _what will you do'_ manner, then waves. "Well, have fun you two. Goodbye, Sanji!"

"Goodbye, Robin," Sanji replies weakly, his eyes on the floor.

Zoro's mind is reeling. Sanji likes him? Sanji paid the three hundred thousand Beri? But wait…does Sanji work for Robin? Is that how he made all of his money? It's clear this is not his first underground fight, and these things tend to pay a lot.

"Zoro, I…I'm sorry," Sanji says softly, distracting him from his thoughts. "I know you think this is pity, but I just wanted to help you, I swear."

"You like me?"

Sanji splutters, staring at Zoro with wide eyes even as his cheeks turn pink. Does that blush travel all the way down his chest?

"I, uh—it doesn't mean anything," the cook says quickly. "I'm not helping you because I like you. I know you're with Saga now and I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that. I just don't want us to…to stop being friends."

What? He and Saga? Where did the cook get that idea? He needs to set things straight…but maybe not here.

"Can you give me a ride home?" he asks the cook.

Sanji doesn't say anything at first, his gaze burning a hole on the ground. When he finally speaks, he's still not looking at Zoro. "Yeah. Sure."

Zoro watches Sanji move with a new eye. Just looking at him, there is no way of telling the strength he holds. The many times he has imagined sleeping with Sanji, he has always pictured smooth and soft skin, miles and miles of it. But now, having felt firsthand the power on those legs of him, he knows he will most likely find hardened muscle below those clothes.

He shivers and licks his lips. He can't wait to get his hands on the cook. He doesn't notice the cook's anxiousness, his mind taken over by fantasies.

Sanji walks with him to his apartment, and stands awkwardly in the middle of the room as Zoro put up his swords in the closet.

"I should probably get going," Sanji begins when Zoro comes back out to the living room. "Can I still come in the morning? I still want to—."

Zoro interrupts him with a kiss. He grins when Sanji moans, his whole body relaxing as he opens his mouth for Zoro's tongue to go in and just taste.

The taste of cigarettes and chocolate hits him, and just like he imagined, it's too addicting. He sinks his fingers into Sanji's hair—it's soft, like liquid silk—and drags the cook closer with a hand around his waist. A firm chest presses against his, and a strong leg lodged between his to rub at his rapidly growing erection.

When Zoro finally lets go, it's only for lack of breath. "You were saying?"

Sanji stares at him dazedly, pink tongue tracing his lower lip. "Wait…you like me?"

Zoro snorts. "Did my raging erection give that away?" Only his quick reflexes save him from getting a kick to the face.

"You couldn't tell me that before that fucking awkward car ride?!" Sanji snaps, grunting in discomfort when Zoro grabs his leg and pushes it up until his knee hit his shoulder. His cock hardens purely at the sight of the flexible feat. Sanji doesn't even look bothered, standing perfectly balanced despite the standing split.

"My bad," Zoro mumbles against his lips, and reaches down to grab Sanji's other leg.

Sanji jumps and wraps his legs around Zoro's waist, grabbing hold of the short, green-hair to bring the swordsman in for a second bruising kiss. "B-bedroom," he moans when Zoro squeezes his ass.

When Zoro first imagined himself sleeping with Sanji, he thought it would be slow and sensual, taking his time to unravel the cook and have him begging for Zoro's cock. That sounds like fun, but it's not going to happen today.

This is going to be hard and fast, a clash of two burning forces fighting for the upper hand on a battle of heated kisses and groping hands. Zoro throws Sanji on the creaking bed and the cook drags him down, hands roaming his chest.

There are too many clothes. Zoro growls and pulls on Sanji's jacket, his left hand reaching down to press against the cook's erection. Sanji gasps, his back arching beautiful as he obeys Zoro's silent command, almost ripping his jacket off before his dress shirt follows.

Zoro groans as the pale chest is revealed, every lean muscle sharply carved to perfection and ingrained with impossible litheness. His whole body is a well-oiled machine, every flex and pull of muscle breathtaking.

For the second time that day, Zoro finds himself comparing the cook's body to the grace and power of the ocean. His hands tremble in anticipation as he touches the supple skin, feeling the soft skin quaver under his calloused hands. Dusky pink buds call to him, and he latches on to one with his mouth, grazing the nipple with his teeth and groaning when it hardens. Sanji makes a soft noise, his fingers digging into Zoro's back, hips grinding up to meet his own.

"Zoro…"

Ugh, that voice. Smoky and broken, crying out Zoro's name. It sets his veins ablaze, blood boiling as it travels down to his already painful erection. Never before has he experienced this urgency, this starving need to make someone his, to touch their very core and unravel them.

He sits up with his knees on either side of Sanji's hips and reaches for the edge of his shirt, snarling as his hand gets caught in the fabric before Sanji reaches up to help him. Slender hands map the expanse of his heaving chest, and a torturously soft touch follows the length of the scar Mihawk left him all the way down to his his hip. Nimble fingers traced the edge of his pants before a firm hand presses down against the bulge in his crotch, eliciting a moan from the swordsman.

Fuck, he isn't going to last. He's too wound up, too far gone to take things slow. He wants to be inside of the cook, now.

Giving in to his instincts, Zoro reaches down to tear Sanji's pants open; the cook yelps in surprise but doesn't get a chance to stop the swordsman from dragging his pants off. The temptation to kiss him is too strong, and Zoro grinds down as his lips meet Sanji's again. They both groan as their bodies rub together, Sanji naked and Zoro still with his pants on. Sanji's arms wrap around his shoulders as he deepens the kiss. Zoro's hands trail down his amazing body until he reaches the two perfectly round masses. Sanji moans when Zoro grabs his ass possessively, kneading the soft flesh.

"Oi, what makes you think you can top me?" Sanji whispers, their lips still pressed together but no longer kissing. "I'm older, I think I should be the one fucking you."

"Come off it," Zoro mutters, breath hitching when a particularly delicious grind rubs his clothed cock against the cook's groin. "I have more experience. Or have you ever fucked a guy before?"

"How hard can it be?"

Zoro pauses at that. Letting Sanji fuck him might not be such a bad idea. The only guy he's ever slept with is Saga, and the other man never liked to top. Zoro is actually a bit curious about how it feels—after all, Saga always reacted like it was the best fucking thing ever. But all of the fantasies he's had about the cook are clamoring at him to get his dick inside him, and Zoro is really looking forwards to acting one of them out.

"You've never fucked a guy, and I've never been fucked," Zoro finally answers. "So it would feel like our first time. And do you really want to make this the awkward elbow-in-the-face, knee-in-the-groin loss-of-virginity sex?"

Sanji snorts. "Is that how you lost your virginity, marimo?" When Zoro only gives him an unimpressed look, he rolls his eyes and sighs. "I guess you have a point. But I'm so fucking you next time."

"Yeah, yeah," Zoro grins, and before Sanji can find another excuse, he flips the cook over.

"Oi! What are you doing, you idiot swordsman?" Sanji snaps, struggling to get on his hands and knees before Zoro pushes him back down, one hand clasped firmly on his hip to keep only his ass up.

"Sorry." His own voice is rough with anticipation, his hands shaking a bit in excitement. "I can't wait." He presses his body against the cook's, reaching for the bottle of lotion he keeps on the bedside table.

Sanji gasps at the first touch, a low groan ripped out of him as Zoro massages his entrance with a rough finger. Zoro watches, fascinated, as the tight ring of muscle slowly loosened up, allowing him to insert his index finger. Sanji curses, his hands grip the covers in tightly, and he buries his head in the pillow. Zoro can still see the redness in the back of his neck, though.

Shit, Sanji is hot inside, and oh so fucking tight. His balls hang tight, ready to burst, his flushed cock hard and dripping on the bed sheets. Zoro can see some discomfort in the tense set of his shoulders, so he leans down and bites softly at his perineum before inserting a second finger.

Sanji moans loudly, back arching painfully and thighs shaking, but Zoro doesn't let off, moving his mouth to lick and suck on the cook's balls.

"Zoro!" The word is muffled against the pillow, his moan cut off as he bites down. He stretches on the bed, lowering his body until he can grind his painful erection against the soft covers for some kind of relief. Zoro pulls his fingers out, biting his tongue to keep from moaning at the squelching sound, and spreads his cheeks open.

He's always been a sucker for rough, hard fucking and knowing that Sanji may very well be stronger than him only makes him want to fuck him until he can't even walk anymore. He leans down and bites at the inside of one cheek, chuckling when Sanji tries to muffle a noise with the pillow. Shit, his voice is fucking amazing. Zoro wants to hear more of it, so he continues to kiss and bite at the sensitive flesh until Sanji is a quivering mess of muffled whimpers and cut-off groans.

"Zoro, I can't," Sanji gasps desperately, his hips contradicting him as he grinds back into Zoro's face.

"I want to hear you," Zoro grunts into the skin, moving back a little to watch as he rubs the puckered entrance with the pads of his thumbs. The skin marks red every time his grip roughens, a stark contrast to his pale skin. "Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting to do this? The first time I saw you I just wanted to bend you over that kitchen counter and fuck you until you couldn't see."

Sanji groans, the sound low and rugged. Zoro digs his fingers in roughly, grinning when he tears another pleasured cry from the cook. A pool of precum has gathered on the sheets, Sanji's weeping cock still painfully hard.

"You like it when it hurts a little, don't you?" Zoro growls, leaning in to whisper in the cook's ear, dragging the coarse texture of his jeans against the cook's trembling legs, and scissoring his fingers. "That's why you're dripping wet. I bet I can get you to come on my cock without even touching your sweet spot, just from the force of me fucking you."

"Don't tell me you're the dirty-talk kind of fucker," Sanji scoffs breathlessly, glancing down at him with a dazed expression.

"Like you didn't just tighten deliciously around my fingers," Zoro replies, smirking widely when Sanji averts his gaze.

"Fuck you," he snarls, the heat of his words lessening as they dissolve into a breathless gasp at a particularly sharp jab of Zoro's fingers.

"No, Sanji. Fuck you." Zoro grins, finally slipping his fingers out. He frees his own painful erection, pushing his pants mid-thigh, and holds his weight with one arm placed next to Sanji's head, the other hand spreading Sanji's cheeks apart. He's so fucking hard and Sanji is so perfectly prepared, he doesn't even have to guide himself inside, his cock easily pushing past the tight ring of muscle.

"Oh shit," Sanji groans as Zoro slowly lowers his weight on top of him, sinking deeper inside. Zoro moans as his hardened flesh is enveloped by tight, silken heat until he bottoms out, his whole body pressed from chest to feet against Sanji's. He can feel every tremor of the cook's body against his own, every ragged breath, every lick of sweat.

"You're too fucking big to be topping," Sanji gasps, and Zoro groans when he flexes the muscles of his ass, squeezing him tightly.

"Aren't we about the same size?" Zoro mutters, but he places soft kisses into the trembling skin of his shoulders, trying to get him to relax before he starts moving. He runs his hands down his sides, Sanji grunting when Zoro's weight presses him down, and slowly starts to grind his hips, short and slow little thrusts that get Sanji's breath to speed up.

"Fucking move," Sanji snarls once it becomes too much, pressing up into him. "I'm not made out of glass—fuck me right."

Zoro grins at the order, placing his hands on either side of Sanji to raise his body, slipping out of the cook. He moves until only the tip of his cock is inside of him, then fucks back into him using his weight as his strength. Even the loud sound of his hips smacking against the cook's ass isn't enough to cover up the moan Sanji lets out, but Zoro doesn't let up, quickly striking up a fast and rough tempo.

"Shit!" Sanji cries, using his hands to push against the headboard as Zoro's thrusts drive him forward. The bed is creaking loudly, moving with them, but Zoro hardly cares about the noise. He only cares about Sanji below him, Sanji around him—the heat is unbearable, boiling his blood and pumping his veins. His skin glides against the cook's, aided by their sweat. Every movement gets him deeper inside the blond—it gives him the sweet sound of his cries, the amazing contradicting scent of his body, the smooth and powerful flex of Sanji's muscles.

Sanji's body is fucking perfect, and Zoro can't believe he gets to touch it, to kiss it, to worship it.

Zoro changes his pace, moving from long and hard thrusts, to quick and sharp ones. A shift makes him strike right into Sanji's sweet spot, causing the cook to let out a long, winded curse and a shiver to run down his body that Zoro feels almost as if it were his own.

"There it is," he murmurs into Sanji's ear. "It feels good?"

"S-shut up," Sanji gasps, hiding his face in the pillow and muffling his cries.

Oh that won't do at all. Zoro didn't spend months imagining this to be cheated out of watching the cook in ecstasy. Zoro pulls out, ignoring Sanji's indignant cry, and quickly slips his pants all the way off and throws them somewhere on the floor. He flips the cook on his back, pulling him by the hips to slip inside him again, the cook's legs spread obscenely open in front of him. Zoro set up a brutal pace again, this time getting a front-row seat as he watches pleasure ripple through the cook's body and face.

Sanji's eyes are lidded, the blue of his irises a thin line around his large pupils. His lips are swollen and red where he keeps biting them, his cheeks a rosy color. His blonde hair is a sweaty mess, pushed back to reveal the second, matching eyebrow. He looks drunk, his eyes shining brightly before he covers them with his arm, looking away from Zoro.

Zoro can't help himself and leans in to kiss the cook again, moving his hands down to grab Sanji's ass and push him into the thrusts of his hips. He swallows the cook's sounds, feeling as if he can taste them in the back of his throat.

"Let me see you," he breathes into Sanji's lips caught in between his teeth. "Let me hear you."

Sanji's sigh is almost silent, but he moves his hand and looks Zoro in the eye. His legs snake high around Zoro's waist, subtly changing positions again, and the heels of his feet dig into his back, pushing him deeper. His hands grip Zoro's face softly and brings him in for another breathless kiss. It changes the pace from rough to gentle, but it's not any less intense because of it.

Zoro hungrily chases Sanji's lips, already addicted to his taste. He lets Sanji set the pace, content to let the blonde's heat and passion envelop him. Finally, his lungs demand air and he stops the kiss to move his mouth to Sanji's neck. "You look so fucking gorgeous," Zoro whispers, pressing a quick kiss into his clavicle.

"Zoro…"

He squeezes his eyes shut, moves his head down until his body is crouched over the cook and he can latch his mouth around a hard nipple—the movement pushes up Sanji's legs to Zoro's shoulders and he almost has an aneurysm right then because fuck is the cook flexible—and gives more power to his thrusts. With a normal person, having Sanji's legs hooked on his shoulders would cause more space to be put in between them, but with the cook's flexibility, Zoro can push down until he can almost touch his chest to Sanji's again. Sanji grips him tightly, his blunt nails digging into his back, and moves his head up to kiss him again. He can hear Sanji's heart beating, feel his breath rattle in his lungs. His muscles quiver with every moan, shifts with every pleasured cry, flexes every time a well-placed thrust hit his center.

He doesn't know what Sanji's catalyst is, but he feels it when the cook tightens around his cock, a sharp cry escaping his mouth as his body locks up. Zoro feels the splash of something hot on his stomach, and he grunts with effort as he continues to fuck into the vice-like grip, feeling his orgasm tip over the edge when Sanji pulls on his hair, planting a sloppy kiss below his pierced ear.

They stay frozen, sharing each other's pleasure as a white haze blinds them. It recedes slowly, leaving behind warmth.

"Fuck," Zoro groans in post-orgasmic bliss, letting his body fall on top of the cook, flaccid cock slipping out of Sanji. Both men are breathing hard, limbs tangled and bone tired.

Sanji hisses at the sensation of come leaking out of him, and makes a face. "Can I smoke?" he asks after a moment of silence.

"Sure," Zoro mumbles, letting the cook push him to the side. He watches through lidded eyes as the cook struggles to get up, face contorting in pain at a particular movement.

Zoro winces, feeling guilty at pushing the cook so hard during his first time. "I'll get them," he says, pushing the cook back down on the bed.

"Breast pocket."

Zoro quickly finds the pack of cigarettes, and hands one to the cook along with his lighter. As the cook lights the death stick and takes a long draft, Zoro heads off to the bathroom to clean his stomach. Once he's done, he wets a second towel to clean Sanji off, ignoring the cook's eyes on him as he works.

"What?" he finally snaps, irritated.

"My ass fucking hurts," Sanji says simply and Zoro bursts out laughing.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Zoro balls up the dirty towel and throws it across the room, narrowingly missing the dirty clothes hamper. He shrugs and returns to the bed, kicking the dirty sheets off him and Sanji.

The cook moves to lay his head on Zoro's chest, and the swordsman wraps an arm around his hips. Zoro stares at his cracked ceiling, feeling no need to break the comfortable silence that has fallen between them.

It's a new feeling, this comfortable silence thing. He has never experienced it before, always having to suffer through the few one-night stands he had before Chopper. And with Saga—the only person he's ever had a relationship with—he had felt an unsettling discontentment.

But this…this is a nice feeling, and he can definitely get used to it.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks for the lovely reviews, awesome people! I had some little extra time so I decided to upload the next chapter, hopes you guys enjoy it! There's gonna be a small lull for a while, but the action will soon start picking up. We're not even halfway through!**

* * *

Sanji wakes up disoriented to the sound of insisting knocking. He tries to figure out who would be looking for him at such early time before he remembers that he isn't at his apartment.

The events from the night before rush to his mind and he feels heat pool in his stomach.

"Oh my god," he groans and buries his face on the pillow, remembering the sounds Zoro got out of him—he's never been loud in bed before, but he's sure even the neighbors heard him moaning yesterday. He chances a peek at the sleeping marimo next to him, grinning when he notices that even sleeping, the frown doesn't go away.

The loud knocking hasn't let up, and he doesn't feel like disturbing the sleeping swordsman, so he gets to his feet silently, wincing when a sharp jab of pain hit his ass. He finds his boxer briefs on the floor and quickly slips them on as the knocking gets louder.

"Hold your horses!" he snaps, hurrying to the door. "What do you want?" he asks the tall man on the other side.

He's taller than Sanji, with bottle-blond hair and a metal jaw. The man's most striking feature, however, is the axe that has replaced his right hand.

"Who the fuck are you?" the man growls, glaring down at Sanji.

"Who the fuck are you?" Sanji snaps back childishly. His ass hurts way too much to be playing games with this guy.

"I'm the landlord. Now, where the fuck is Roronoa?" the man snarls, pushing past Sanji to get inside the apartment.

"Hey! You can't just burst in here!" Sanji says.

"Roronoa!" the man yells, ignoring Sanji. "Get the fuck out here!"

"Oi, I'm talking to you!"

"Morgan, what the fuck do you want?" Zoro asks from the bedroom entrance, dressed—like Sanji—only in his boxers.

"Where the fuck is my rent, Roronoa?" Morgan growls. "You better fucking have it, or I'll—."

"I have it, sheesh," Zoro interrupts, moving back inside the room. "Give me a damn minute."

Sanji moves around the large man towards the kitchen. He feels like something sweet today…strawberries and cream crepe? Zoro doesn't like sweet things, but he wasn't the one getting fucked yesterday, so he can suck it up.

"Here you go," Zoro says, handing Morgan a stash of money. "That's a thousand Beri. I'll get you the rest with my next paycheck."

"Fuck that! I want all of my money now," Morgan insists. He points a thick finger at Zoro, "I'm fucking tired of your excuses, you hear me?"

"I said I'd get it!" Zoro yells back. "What do you want me to do? I don't have any more!"

"Why don't you ask your fuck toy over there if he can lend you some?" Morgan sneers, nodding towards Sanji.

"You have a problem with me, you shitty landlord?" Sanji snarls, turning on the man.

"Who are you calling shitty, faggot?"

"Fuck you, Morgan," Zoro growls. "Watch your fucking mouth before I break that stupid metal jaw of yours. You can't fucking demand anything when you still haven't sent anyone in to repair the plumbing. And that fucking stinking white mold is still all over my bathroom ceiling."

Sanji frowns, glancing at Zoro.

"How do you expect me to repair your plumbing if you don't pay your fucking rent?"

Sanji moves past the two arguing men and into the bathroom, looking up at the ceiling until he finds the mold Zoro is talking about. He frowns and goes back to the bedroom to grab his phone and snaps a picture of it.

He goes down the list of his contacts, stopping at the only one under 'L', then sends it the picture message.

 **What do you think?**

The response comes worryingly quickly.

 **Get out. Come see me immediately.**

"Shit," he curses. He hurries out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, quickly putting his clothes on and grabbing Zoro's from the floor. He makes his way to the door, before turning back around and grabbing Zoro's swords from the closet.

"—fine! I'll get you the other thousand tomorrow!"

"Don't bother," Sanji tells the swordsman, handing him his clothes. "You're moving out. Come on; we need to get Chopper."

"What are you talking about?" Zoro asks, surprised.

"Don't argue," Sanji snaps, tugging on his arm. "You better fucking hope this is nothing serious, or I swear I'll fucking kick your ass," he snarls at the landlord, snatches the thousand Beris from his hand, and drags Zoro out of the apartment before Morgan can answer.

"Oi, will you tell me what's going on, cook?" Zoro asks, ignoring the stares from the other tenants that came out to see the commotion.

"I sent a picture of that mold to my doctor. He thinks it might be dangerous," Sanji says, giving Zoro back the rent money he took from Morgan. "We need to get Chopper and get ourselves tested."

"Shit. I swear, if Chopper gets sick, I'm gonna fucking murder that fucker."

"You and me both."

Sanji calls his old man to let him know he's going to the hospital, rolling his eyes when Zeff says that if he dies, he will put Patty as Sous Chef.

"Yeah, like that shitty Popeye can ever replace me," Sanji snaps, rolling his eyes. "I'll come by as soon as Law lets me out."

Zeff hangs up in lieu of an answer.

"What a caring father," Zoro snorts.

"He's not bad," Sanji shrugs. "Some kids got hugs, I got kicks to the head. Même quantité d' amour."

"What?"

"Nothing, marimo. Ignore me."

"I do that without prompting."

The couple bicker as they make their way to the medical dorms, Sanji making fun of the swordsman every time he makes to turn the wrong way. Honestly, Zoro can get lost walking down a straight hallway.

"You said Kobato's room is 13B?" Sanji asks, looking at the numbers on the nearest door.

"Yup."

"That's the one," Sanji says, nodding to the opened door in front of them. There is a small crowd gathered outside Kobato's room for some reason, but Zoro doesn't wait to ask around, shoving past them.

"Chopper, we need to go. The cook thinks—holy fuck!"

Sanji rushes forward, pushing some poor kid back to force his way inside the room. He's immediately frozen as he comes face to face with the small reindeer standing in the room, gangly legs trembling as he tries to remain upright.

"W-why is that…that deer wearing my son's clothes?" Zoro's voice trembles, whether in anger of fear, Sanji isn't sure.

"I can definitely explain," Kobato says from where she's hiding behind her bed, crouched low so that only her head can be seen.

"Hey, Dad," speaks the reindeer in Chopper's voice. "Ta-dah…?"

"Oh my god," Sanji gasps.

"KOBATO!" Zoro thunders, scaring most of the spectators away. "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?!"

"Wait, Dad, she doesn't—." The reindeer trips on his feet and Zoro immediately rush forward to catch him. However, neither of them expect for Chopper's body to transform again, this time into a small raccoon-like creature. "Oh wow, I have multiple forms!"

"KOBATO!"

"He ate the Reindeer Fruit," Kobato explained, still hiding. "So now he turns into a reindeer."

"Well, turn him back!"

"It was an accident, Dad," Chopper is quick to say, tiny little hooves pushing against his father's chest. "I can still turn into a human; see?"

Sanji and Zoro watch as the little boy frowns in concentration, biting his lip. It takes a full minute, but he does in fact turn back into his original form.

Sanji can feel Zoro's relief, but they're running short on time. "Zoro, we need to hurry," he reminds the swordsman now that Chopper is out of apparent danger.

Zoro nods. "Chopper, we need to go now. Kobato, I'll deal with you later."

"It was nice seeing you, Mr. Roronoa!"

"Where are we going, Dad?" Chopper asks curiously.

"Hospital," Zoro grunts. "Sanji thinks that white mold in the bathroom is dangerous."

"It looked familiar," Sanji explains. "If it is what I think it is, we really need to hurry."

Law is an old friend of Sanji. The two met in New World, and they shared an apartment during their stay at the University. Law is the Head Surgeon at the New World Hospital, one of the best hospitals in the entire world.

When Sanji arrives, Penguin—Law's assistant—leads them inside the surgeon's office, where Law is waiting for him.

"Hello, Sanji-ya," Law greets in his usual lazy drawl. "I've been waiting for you."

"Hey, Law. These are Zoro and Chopper. They live in the apartment where the mold is growing," Sanji introduces.

He feels Zoro tense next to him when Law's dark eyes moved to the swordsman. Sanji doesn't blame him: with all of his tattoos and smudged eyeliner, Law looks nothing like a doctor.

"When was the first time you saw the mold?" Law asks the swordsman.

"Maybe five, four months ago," Zoro shrugs. "Chopper was the first one to notice."

"Aren't you hiding the wrong way?" Law asks the frightened little boy. Chopper jumps and corrects his stance, hiding most of his body behind his father. "The mold that is growing in your apartment looks very much like the breeding bed of a mushroom called Amiudake; it's a very toxic, very lethal mushroom."

"But I thought Amiudake was only dangerous when eaten," Chopper pipes in, hiding again when Law returns his gaze to him.

"Correct," the surgeon replies. "But that's when it's fully mature. In its initial state, the porous mold bed holds are of the lethal pathogens, which can be released into the air when disturbed. If enough is inhaled, it proves to be just as lethal as the fully matured fungi."

"Chopper is the one who has been exposed the most," Sanji says, glancing at the little kid. "I've only been inside the room a couple of times, so I think I might not be in trouble."

"I will still like to run some tests, Sanji-ya," Law says. "I will send one of my men back to the apartment to make sure it's Amiudake. If it is, you will not be able to return there. I suggest you start looking for a new place to live."

"You can—."

"Sanji," Zoro interrupts, already knowing what the cook is going to offer.

"Just until you find your own place," Sanji rolls his eyes. "A week, at the most."

"Fine," Zoro sighs. "When do you want to start on these tests?"

"Immediately. Let's get your son ready first. Because of his age, he runs the most risks."

Law sends Penguin off to Zoro's house to check the mold while they stay and run tests. Law takes a blood sample from each of them and checks their vitals, spending the most time with Chopper once he discovers that the boy has eaten a Devil's Fruit.

While both Sanji and Zoro are worried, Chopper is ecstatic. He's quickly forming some sort of idol worship towards the surgeon, and Law, for his part, seems amazed that someone as adorable as Chopper can exist. Sanji sees him reach forward to touch Chopper's hair before physically shaking himself off.

After about three hours of testing, Law has them all wait in his office while he retrieves the test results. Sanji is reading over the files Zoro filled for Chopper and himself while craving a cigarette; Chopper is reading one of Law's many medical books, and Zoro is trying to doze off on the uncomfortable chair.

"Wait—Chopper's name is Tony? How did you get Chopper from that?" Sanji snorts.

"When he was little, he used to play with my practice swords" Zoro explains. "Chopped up everything he saw. Luffy started calling him Chopper, and before I knew it, he wouldn't answer to anything else."

"How did you start using three swords?" Sanji asks, curious. "I've never seen that before."

"When I was little…there was this girl; she was the daughter of the local sensei and the only student I was never able to defeat. I started training with two swords, thinking that if I couldn't defeat her with one, then I definitely could with two. After a while, I added the third one."

"And did you? Defeat her, I mean."

"No," Zoro laughs. "Never in the two thousand and one times that we fought."

"Wow. So she's stronger than you? I would love to meet her."

"She, uh, passed away," Zoro says thickly, staring at the white ceiling. "After our last fight; tripped and fell down the stairs. When she died, I asked her father to give me her sword, Wado, and learned how to use three swords. We had a dream…we used to say that one of us would become the greatest swordsman in the world. When she died, I took it upon myself to reach our dream. Even fought Mihawk, but you can guess how that ended." Zoro touches his chest, where Sanji remembers seeing the huge scar that had almost cut him in half.

"I almost lost my life," Zoro murmurs. "If Saga hadn't paid for everything, I don't know what I would've done."

"Dad stopped training to take care of me," Chopper says softly, surprising the two adults.

"It's just the way things works, Chopper," Zoro says, frowning. "You shouldn't worry about things like that."

Chopper glances at Sanji, then return his gaze back to the book. Sanji remembers what Chopper told him about how Zoro had sacrificed everything for his son, and understands Chopper's need to give something back.

He frowns, thinking of some way he can help the swordsman out without him thinking it's too much. Before a plan can fully formulate, Law comes back, three files in his hands.

"You are extremely lucky, Tony-ya," Law says in lieu of a greeting.

"Why's that?" Zoro asks.

"You and Sanji-ya show very little traces of the toxin." Law begins his explanation, taking his seat behind the desk. "Your bodies' immune system will work to flush it out in a couple of weeks if you keep up a healthy diet. Since you plan to stay with Sanji-ya, I doubt that will be a problem."

"I've been controlling their diet for months now," Sanji nods.

"Good. I do see some liver damage on Zoro-ya; I suggest you lay off the beer. Sanji-ya, you already know the condition of your lungs."

"Yeah, yeah. Tell us why Chopper's lucky," Sanji snaps, earning a reproaching look from the doctor and doctor-to-be.

"With the level of exposure Tony-ya experienced, his rate of survival is less than ten percent—at least that would be the case if he hadn't eaten a Devil's Fruit," Law continues before Zoro can say anything.

"The Devil's Fruit? Is it like a cure or something?" Zoro asks, frowning.

"Not exactly," Law shrugs. "Animals are immune to Amiudake, you see. An animal's body is capable of processing the toxins that are lethal to humans rather harmlessly. When Tony-ya first transformed into his reindeer form, his body flushed the toxins. Oh, he'll get a stomach ache, maybe some slight fever, but he'll live."

"Shit." Zoro breathes out sharply, staring at Chopper with wide eyes. His son is smiling back sheepishly, clearly glad that his father isn't upset about the Devil's Fruit anymore.

"Does this mean I can go back to Kobato's?" Chopper asks. "She said that Doctor Kureha is going to hold a pre-term study session for those students that want to get a head start on the course work!"

"Yeah, I guess," Zoro sighs.

"Yay!"

Sanji grins when he notices Law smiling softly towards Chopper. The surgeon seems to sense him watching, because he immediately averts his gaze back to the files in front of him.

"Oh, and I guess you two will be happy to know that neither of you carry any sexually transmitted diseases. So you can have all the unprotected sex that you want."

"What?" Zoro barks, flushing red.

"Oh my god," Sanji groans, letting his head fall on his knees. "I need new friends."

Law sends them off with a prescription for medicine in case Chopper does get a stomach ache. He informs them that he sent in a CDC agent to Zoro's apartment to make sure the Amiudake hadn't spread to his neighbors. He also advised them against going back to get their belongings, since there was a chance that they're contaminated.

Since the danger is gone, Zoro allows Chopper to go back to New World, stopping to let Kobato know she isn't on his hit list anymore. After that, Sanji drives them back to the Baratie since he has to check in with the old man.

"Just tell Olga—that's the host—that you're my guest," Sanji tells the swordsman, nodding to the front entrance. "She'll give you a seat."

"Where are you going?"

"I need to get changed," Sanji says, motioning to his day-old clothes. He's missing a couple of buttons from where he ripped his shirt off in his hurry to get naked, there are more wrinkles on them than Sanji has seen in his life, and they smell like sex.

Zoro is not much better, wearing only a dark blue muscle shirt, black jeans, and a fleece jacket. Sanji grabbed the first things he saw when trying to get away from Zoro's apartment; the swordsman is lucky he remembered to grab his shoes.

Zoro shrugs and obeys, moving to enter the Baratie. Sanji walks around back, using the staff entrance. Instantly, he's hit with the loud sounds of a busy workday and the scent of spices mixing deliciously. He doesn't call attention to himself, sneaking around to the stairs that will lead him to the second floor, where he keeps a spare suit. The staff bathroom is also upstairs, and Sanji takes advantage of it to take a quick shower, wrinkling his nose when he has to use the store-brand soap and shampoo that smells like dishwasher soap. It's clean, though.

He dries his hair as much as the towel will let him and changes into his spare suit. It's of a more simple style, single-breasted when he usually uses double-breast, and navy blue instead of black. The shirt is a simple white, and since he doesn't have a tie on him, he decides to keep the jacket open. His one piece oxford shoes clash a little with his suit, but only a keen eye like Sanji's will notice it. He doubts Zoro will.

Finally up to standards, he returns to the kitchen.

"Are you dying or not?" is his father's greeting, the man working hard on kneading a roll of dough.

"You're stuck with me for a while," Sanji replies. He washes his hands—doesn't matter that he just showered, it's a habit best not broken—and moves to help one of the line cooks with the vegetable soup.

"Too bad," Patty snickers.

"So how's that boyfriend of yours? Is he going to die?"

"Not for a while," Sanji replies, keeping his back to the other cooks. Instantly, the kitchen buzz quiets as every person turns to stare at their Sous Chef, shocked to see him not lashing out at his father for calling the other man his boyfriend.

"Well, I'll be damned." Carne is the first to break the silence, laugh bubbling up. "Our Sanji has gone limp-wristed!"

"Shut the fuck up, you piece of shit!" Sanji snaps, delivering a hard kick to the man's side. "I don't like guys, alright! I like…Zoro." He blushes a dark red, moving to dump the carrots, celery, onions to the pot to sauté. He needs to wait three minutes before he adds the garlic, so he grabs a couple of blueberry muffins from one of the trays in the pastry section and prepares two cups of coffee. Zoro, the damn weirdo, likes it black and as strong as Sanji can make it. Sanji prefers it with one sugar cube and hazelnut cream.

"I'm gonna go eat breakfast, geezer," Sanji tells his father, balancing the simple breakfast on a platter. "Someone add garlic to the carrots and onions in a minute."

"Put up the help wanted sign while you're out there," Zeff says. "I fired a dumbass this morning."

Olga has seated Zoro in one of the center booths, a fact that his neighbors don't seem to appreciate. Sanji frowns, noticing the ugly looks the other patrons are giving the swordsman. Most of them are high-ranked government officials or celebrities. The swordsman seems oblivious to their discomfort, too busy dozing off on the seat.

"Oi, marimo, breakfast's ready," Sanji says loudly, waking Zoro up as he slides in next to him.

"Wha—? Oh, thanks," Zoro mumbles, reaching for the cup of coffee.

"Careful, it's hot."

Zoro ignores his warning, taking a quick sip. Sanji watches as his eyes widen, then as a look of determination falls over his features, before he finally gives into the pain and opens his mouth to blow at his burning tongue with his hand.

"Here," Sanji says, grabbing his jaw to hold him still as he leans in and licks at his tongue, grinning when he feels Zoro let out a shaky breath. "Saliva helps with burns, you know," he murmurs.

"You might want to lick inside, then. My whole mouth is burned," Zoro says thickly.

Sanji laughs and pushes his face away, grabbing his own cup. "Nah. It's your own damn fault for not listening to me."

"I thought boyfriends were supposed to be nice to each other." Zoro pouts, and Sanji finally realizes where Chopper gets the adorableness from.

"It's hard to work with idiot marimos," Sanji says, quickly averting his gaze. Shit, he better not let Zoro find out just how effective that look is.

Zoro scoffs, but grabs his muffin instead of replying. Sanji smacks his arm when the other man starts picking out the blueberries; Zoro smacks him back, starting a small scuffle that ends with the swordsman grudgingly eating his blueberries.

"Hey, I have a proposition for you," Sanji says, trying not to let the swordsman know how nervous he is. "And you must listen to all of it before you can say no, alright?"

"Lay it on me."

"Okay, so…I know you have three jobs, which don't really give you a lot of time to do…well, anything," Sanji begins. "So I was thinking…instead of those three jobs, why don't you just work here, at the Baratie?"

"I have three jobs because I need the money," Zoro rolls his eyes.

"The Baratie pays more than they do," Sanji says quickly. "And if you decide to stay at my place, you get rid of almost all of your expenses! You don't have a car, so you don't pay for gas or insurance. You wouldn't have to pay rent or a water bill or anything like that. And my place is closer to the university. Be honest, Zoro…the only thing you have to pay outside your basic living expenses is Crocodile. If you start working at the Baratie, you can go back to volunteering at that dojo you were telling me about."

"Ah, so that's what this is about," Zoro snorts humorlessly. "Tell me, cook, when is it going to be time for me to help you out? When are you going to ask for help?"

Sanji frowns. "Are you telling, if our positions were reversed, you wouldn't help me unless I helped you first?"

"That's not what I'm—."

"Then what's the problem?" Sanji snaps, interrupting Zoro. "I don't care about money, Zoro. I have more than I know what to do with. I care about you and Chopper. And besides, I'm always at your place anyhow—how different can it be if you move in with me?"

"Don't you think it's going to be weird?" Zoro asks. "I mean, we just barely realized we like each other yesterday."

"Yes, but we've known each other for months," Sanji reminds him. "Would you feel weird staying with Usopp or Nami?"

"No, but I'm not sleeping with them."

"And is that such a bad thing?" Sanji asks, grinning. "It'll make things easier, at least."

Zoro sighs and stares at his coffee, thinking. Sanji gives him time, knowing that pushing too much will only make the swordsman shut down. "How about we compromise?" Zoro finally says. "I work here in return for living with you? You can take my paycheck as my rent and for my bills."

Sanji frowns. That won't leave anything for Zoro, and the man still has to pay Crocodile. "Okay…second compromise: I take your salary, but you get to keep any tips you make, alright?" He decides not to mention that most of the money is made in tips, all of their waiter's salaries coming to about 300 Beris a month.

Zoro hesitates but seems to realize Sanji isn't going to budge, so he nods. "Deal."

"Alright! Okay, so I have to stay here and help out in the kitchen, but you can borrow my car in case you have any stops you need to make," Sanji says, handing the marimo his keys. "Pick me up at nine?"

"Sure," Zoro says, giving him a soft goodbye kiss.

Sanji smiles, giddy. He can't believe he's dating Zoro—Zoro! And not only that, but the man is going to live with him! He takes the dirty dishes to the kitchen, ignoring the sly grins the other cooks send him.

"I found you a server, old man," Sanji tells his father. "Zoro's gonna start on Friday."

"Whatever. Just make sure he knows how to take orders," Zeff snaps.

"Yeah, yeah, he knows," Sanji shrugs, remembering Zoro has experienced working at Shells Coffee Shop.

A few of the cooks are giggling, throwing what they think are discreet looks at their Sous Chef. "Oi Sanji...how's your back?"

"GET THE FUCK BACK TO WORK!"

After the cook gives him the keys to his car, Zoro decides to stop by his jobs to tell his bosses he's quitting. Ririka, of course, wishes him the best of luck. Ippon-Matsu starts crying and begging him to reconsider—after all, there aren't that many people with Zoro's knowledge and skill—and Colscon just nods and sends him off.

After that, he still has a couple of hours before he has to pick up Chopper from Kobato's, so he calls up Luffy to see what he's doing. It turns out that the man is ready to go out Christmas shopping with Usopp and Nami.

He still has the thousand Beris the cook took from Morgan, so he can afford to buy Sanji and Chopper some presents. He stops by Nami's house, where they have all gathered, and grins when Luffy cheers, looking at his car. It seems Vivi and Kaya are coming too.

"Is that Sanji's car?" Nami asks, giving the vehicle an appreciative onceover, her eyes glinting like they always do in the presence of something worth a lot of money.

"He let me borrow it since he's at work," Zoro explains, getting out.

"Didn't he have a blue one at first?" Usopp wonders, cocking his head while he stares at the silver car in front of him with a deep, serious look.

"Uh…yeah." Zoro frowns; now that Usopp mentioned it, he remembers the cook driving a blue mustang at the beginning. But that night they went out to Level 5.5, the cook was driving this one. Well, he probably owns more than one car.

"He must be as filthy rich as he says if he can afford this baby," Nami mutters.

"Yeah…my dad has one, and I know they're expensive." Vivi whistles. "And he just let you borrow it? Just like that?"

"Yeah." Zoro blushes, scratching at his hair. "Are we gonna go shopping or not?" he snaps, trying to get out of the spotlight.

"Of course!" Kaya grins.

"I bet we can all fit in here," Nami says, poking her head inside the car. "Kaya, you're going to have to ride on Usopp's legs, though, since you're the shortest."

"I don't mind," Kaya says, giving Usopp a shy smile.

Zoro rolls his eyes, wondering when the two will actually start dating. He knows they have been friends since before he met the long-nosed man, and everybody knows that the two are desperately in love. Why don't they just go for it?

"So, where are we going?" Zoro asks once everybody is packed inside the car.

"Let's go to Sabaody," Vivi says. "I have a couple of stores I wanna check out."

"Are we sure Zoro should be driving? We're going to get lost," Usopp calls from the back, his voice slightly muffled behind Kaya's back.

"I'll guide him!" Luffy declares from the passenger seat.

Zoro scowls but doesn't bother denying their accusations. They never believe him when he tells them about the moving buildings, and he can't figure out why the don't move with anyone else.

Sabaody City is not actually a city. It has never been declared one by the World Government, but people don't care. In reality, Sabaody is like one huge, open mall. The whole "city" is dedicated to shops and stores, from car dealerships to food stands. Nobody actually lives in Sabaody, though a couple of the business are hotels for those people that want to do some prolonged shopping. There isn't anything that is sold for less than a hundred Beri in the whole city, so Zoro usually doesn't shop here. He simply can't afford it.

His friends, however, always go to the city. Nami has mad couponing skills, so she always gets stuff for at least half price, Kaya is an heiress with hundreds of thousands Beri to her name, and Vivi is the princess of Alabasta. Money isn't a problem for them.

Luffy always buys food, for which he always has money, and Usopp is a sensible person who saves up for months before going on a shopping trip. This is the first time Zoro has any leftover money, so he has to be careful how he spends it.

They stop at a jewelry store first, but while the girls gush and squeal over the precious jewels, the boys wait outside. Zoro has never seen Sanji wearing jewelry, so he probably won't like it. They stop at a shoe store next, and there are a couple of shoes in the men sections that look like the ones Sanji usually wears, but then again, Zoro doesn't know the man's shoe size.

He can get him clothes…but he doesn't know his dress sizes either. He can make an educated guess, but the cook always wears his clothes fitted perfectly; he's sure they are tailor-made. A tie then?

"Let's go to Hallmark next," Nami says.

Zoro has never been to a Hallmark store, and after spending almost an hour browsing, he wishes never to step foot in one again. Who the fuck buys greeting cards as a Christmas gift? And what are those little ornaments for?

They keep browsing, Zoro growing more irritated as time passes and he still can't find something to get the cook. He finds a large pink and blue hat that he's sure Chopper will love, but the cook is so hard to shop for!

"Is that all you're buying, Zoro?" Kaya asks kindly, looking at Zoro's lone shopping bag. She and the other girls have almost ten bags each, Luffy has a large coke and a bag of powder donuts, and even Usopp has three shopping bags.

"I don't know what to get the cook," he finally admits.

"Sanji? Well, what does he need?" Vivi asks.

"I don't know," Zoro shrugs helplessly. "I mean, anything he could need, I'm sure he already has."

"What does he like, then?" Luffy asks.

"Why are you getting him anything, anyway?" Nami frowns.

"Because I want to," Zoro snaps. "Besides, aren't you supposed to buy your partner gifts?"

"Wait—you and Sanji are dating?" Usopp exclaims.

"Yeah," Zoro shrugs.

"Are you sure?" Nami asks rather rudely. "He looks pretty straight to me. I mean, the guy couldn't stop looking at my breasts."

"Maybe that's because you always have them hanging out," Zoro growls. "And I'm sure a straight guy doesn't have sex with other guys."

"That's great!" Luffy laughs. "I like Sanji. And now we can hang out at his place, too, and he can make me meat all the time!"

"Like hell," Zoro snaps. "And we're not discussing my personal life anymore. I just need to get him a Christmas present!"

"Wait, that's it!" Usopp says triumphantly. "Sanji likes to cook, doesn't he?"

"There's a kitchen supply store a couple of streets from here," Vivi offers. "Terracotta always goes there when she needs new stuff. We can go check it out."

"Might as well," Zoro shrugs.

The kitchen supply store seems like the kind of place Sanji would call heaven. It's built like a warehouse, each section divided neatly. It has everything, from huge industrial ovens to forks and spoons.

And everything is expensive as hell. Plate sets that cost four hundred Beri—what the fuck? A cutlery sets for—holy fuck, three hundred Beri? What, are they made of pure gold?

"Can I help you, sir?" a young guy asks him. He's a couple of inches shorter than Zoro, his black hair slicked back, his black suit neatly pressed. He doesn't pull it off as well as Sanji, but it still looks good. The look the guy is giving him, though, is ugly.

"Uh, yeah," Zoro says, swallowing. "I'm actually trying to buy a present for my boyfriend. He's, uh, a chef."

"Do you have a budget?" the guy asks, and Zoro scowls. He takes out his wallet, checking how much money he still has. Chopper's hat only cost him a hundred and fifty Beri and he bought some food, so he still has a little over eight hundred Beri.

The guy gives his wallet a quick look, then glances at Zoro. "Do you have anything in particular you are looking for?"

"Not really," Zoro shrugs. "I don't really know anything about this stuff."

The guy sighs. "All of our materials are make to be used by professionals. If your boyfriend only cooks at home, then this isn't the place for you."

"Hey buddy, watch the attitude," Zoro growls, angry. "I have the money to buy your shitty stuff, so why don't you just help me or fuck off?"

The man startles, then his eyes narrow angrily. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to—."

"Is there a problem here?" Vivi asks, suddenly appearing behind Zoro. "Hello, Liam."

"Princess Vivi!" the guy, Liam, exclaims, rude manner suddenly gone. "It's so good to see you again!"

"You, too," Vivi smiles. "I'm here trying to help my friend find a gift for his boyfriend," she says, touching Zoro's shoulder softly. "Can you help us?"

"Of course!" Liam says quickly, large, fake smile in place. "I will be more than glad to assist you. We have a great new set of frying pans that just arrived from North Blue—."

"He already has frying pans," Zoro rolls his eyes.

"Zoro's boyfriend works at the Baratie," Vivi adds. "So I'm sure he already owns all of the basics."

"Baratie? Oh, then he won't want any of this! Let me take you to the back; that's where we keep the good stuff."

Liam leads them to the back, where a nondescript door leads them to another room. It sells most of the same things as the front room, but according to Vivi and Liam, this is the good stuff. They spent a good while browsing, but Zoro still doesn't know what to get. He's sure Sanji already has everything they sell here.

"Maybe something a bit more personal?" Vivi offers helpfully. "You can get something engraved."

"We offered engraving for most things," Liam nods. "Pans, knives, cutting boards—."

"Yeah," Zoro interrupts. He's tired, irritated, and just wants to go home. "Just get me a damn cutting board with his name on it."

"What kind of material—I'll decide," Liam adds hastily, shying away from the murderous look Zoro sends him. "You can set the order today, and we'll have it ready by tomorrow. Can I have his name?"

"Sanji," Zoro says. "Just Sanji."

"Very well. You will have to pay in advance at the register; the cashier will let you know at what time you can come back to pick it up."

"Fine."

Vivi sets off to find the others while Zoro pays the curly-haired girl at the front. It's pretty expensive at three hundred Beri—he can't believe a piece of wood can cost as much as a month's electric bill—but the cook is definitely worth it.

He's staring at a point behind the cashier, trying to not snap at the girl for taking so long, when he sees a box behind the register filled with miscellaneous—plastic cutting boards, single-wrapped knives, plastic containers, and loose cutlery.

"What's that?" he asks the girl.

She glances behind her, frowning. "Oh, that's the stuff we haven't sold for ages. Every three months, we take them off the shelves and throw them out."

Zoro frowns. It seems like such a waste. Why can't they just sell it cheaper in clearance or something? "Let me buy one of those plastic containers—with the lid."

"We already took them off the inventory, sir," the girl frowns. "I can't—."

"C'mon, I'll give you an extra hundred. Just let me have it," Zoro pleads, giving her a slight smile.

The girl jumps, blushing. "I, uh…well, okay. I'm sure my boss won't mind if I just give it to you."

"Thanks." Zoro's smile widens. Maybe he should be nicer…the cook does seem to get stuff done faster—maybe it's because he's nicer.

In the end, Zoro walks out with a receipt for his cutting board and a small bag with the plastic container. Nami gives him a weird look when she sees the container, but wisely keeps her mouth shut. Zoro is too annoyed to take any of her crap right now.

"I'm so hungry," Luffy whines, dragging his feet. "I wanna eat!"

"You ate all day!" Usopp snaps. "But I'm hungry, too," he adds sheepishly.

"Well, I need to go pick up Chopper, but then we can go eat at the Baratie," Zoro says. "I need to pick up Sanji too, and he gets off at nine."

"We won't fit in the car with Chopper," Nami says. "You can drop us off at my place so I can get my car, then we'll meet at the Baratie."

"Alright."

It takes him a couple of tries to actually get to the university, but Chopper is able to guide him back to the Baratie once he gives him the address. Zoro has actually taken quite a while, so the others have already grabbed a table by the time he arrives.

"Did you get lost?" Usopp asks flatly.

"No."

"Yes," Chopper giggles. "Hi, Miss Kaya!"

"Chopper, I told you, you can call me Kaya outside of the classroom," Kaya says, smiling at the boy.

"Okay! Luffy! Luffy, guess what?" Chopper asks excitedly, leaning across Zoro to talk to Luffy.

"What?" Luffy asks excitedly, bouncing on his seat like the younger kid.

"I ate a Devil's Fruit!"

"That's amazing!"

"A Devil's Fruit?" Nami gasps. "Zoro!"

"I didn't let him!" Zoro snaps. "He ate it by accident!"

"What kind of fruit is it?" Usopp asks eagerly.

"It lets me turn into a reindeer!" Chopper says. "I can show you!"

"Chopper, I doubt Sanji would like a reindeer prancing around in his restaurant," Zoro says.

"I don't know, Marimo. That chibi form he did was pretty cute," Sanji says, appearing next to him with a platter full of food.

"Sanji! Food!"

"Yeah, yeah, you glutton." Sanji rolls his eyes and begins setting the plates down in front of them. He hands the platter to a passing server and sits down next to Vivi, giving the girl a soft smile.

"So…Sanji…we heard you and Zoro are now dating," Nami says, giving the cook a sly smile.

Sanji blushes, but he smiles at Zoro. "Yeah," he murmurs.

Zoro smiles back at him, enjoying the way the blush spreads to the tip of his ears and—he now knows—his chest.

"Congratulations!" Vivi smiles.

"You and Dad are dating?" Chopper asks, surprised. "So you're like my new mom."

Sanji chokes on spit and Zoro turns beet read. "Chopper, no," he says quickly, covering his face with one hand.

"Sanji's a guy, he can't be a mom," Luffy rolls his eyes.

"I know that," Chopper says. "That's why I said he's like my new mom."

"Uh, no Chopper," Sanji says, coughing. "You already have a mom. I'm your friend, just like before."

Chopper frowns, but Sanji hands him a cup of ice cream and the boy loses interest.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Usopp exclaims. "Where are we doing the decorating this year?"

"Shit! We already decorated ours," Nami says, glancing at Vivi.

"My place is too small for all of us," Usopp says.

"What's going on?" Sanji asks curiously.

"Christmas tree decorating," Zoro explains. "On the first of December, we pick one of our houses and we have a party to decorate the Christmas tree."

"Hey, we haven't done your house for a while," Kaya says, looking at Zoro.

"That's right!" Luffy nods. "We can't do it at my place, because Ace and Marco like to decorate their own."

"We can't do it at my place. I'm staying with Sanji," Zoro says, wincing when silence falls on the table.

"You guys are already living together?" Vivi asks, surprised.

"It's not what you think," Sanji says quickly.

"Yeah. Our house is under quarantine," Zoro says. He glares at Nami. "That white mold you said was probably nothing turned out to be Amiudake."

"Oh my god!" Kaya gasps. "Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah. Sanji took us to the hospital and his doctor checked us out," Zoro reassures them. "We're fine."

"If you need a place to stay, you can always stay with me," Usopp says quickly, patting Zoro's back.

"Or with us," Nami says, Vivi nodding in agreement.

"I'm fine with the cook," Zoro says. He turns to catch Sanji's eye and smirks. "It'll be fun." Sanji glares at him and throws him a piece of bread, which he catches with his mouth.

"If you guys want, we can have it at my house," Sanji says, turning to the others. "I usually don't get a tree, since I live by myself. But I can buy one later on. I'm taking the moss to Sabaody tomorrow, I can check some out."

"We're going to Sabaody? Why?" Zoro groans.

"Because you and Chopper have no clothes, and I need to buy you some." Sanji rolls his eyes.

"Ugh. Fine," Zoro mutters, knowing better than to complain. He won't ever say it aloud, but he can't deny Sanji any more than he can deny Chopper.

"It's decided then," Vivi grins. "We'll have the party at Sanji's place."

Zoro doesn't miss the excited grin that spreads over Sanji's face before he quickly controls it, going back to his nonchalant expression. He smiles to himself, thanking whatever made him so lucky as to have met the cook.

Not that he will ever tell him. Ever.

* * *

 **A/N: Amiudake is the mushroom Chopper gives to Dr. Hiluluk. I made some changes to it, obviously, to make it fit the plotline. Also, I gave Chopper his Devil's Fruit because I find his Brain Point completely adorable.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: If you google 432 Park Avenue (a residential building in New York), you can find images that inspired what Sanji's place looks like. It's pretty neat.**

* * *

Zoro knows Sanji is rich. It's a fact that is ever present in his mind, what with the guy giving up three hundred thousand Beri for him like it was nothing. But when Zoro pictures rich, he pictures Kaya or Vivi.

He thought he couldn't be more impressed than when he first visited Vivi's castle, but boy was he wrong.

Sanji lives in Joha, a small city in New World. His apartment complex—if it can be called that; skyscraper seems more fitting—is located on top of a hill looking out to part of the Grand Line Sea, the largest sea in the world. When they first arrive, Zoro has to literally stop to take everything in, he's so overwhelmed.

The outside entrance is paved with smooth cobblestone, with a fountain of two mermaids grooming their hair leading up to the front doors, made of a dark mahogany wood. There is a doorman standing watch at the front door and a couple of people milling around the lobby. Sanji drives to the back, where an entrance leads them down to the underground garage, which is filled with cars that are worth more than what Zoro makes in a year.

"This is my area," Sanji says as he parks the car in the bottom floor. "This space and the two to the right are mine."

So he was right when he thought Sanji owned more than one car. Zoro only gives them a fleeting look, recognizing the blue mustang and admiring the black BMW before he follows Sanji to the elevators.

The elevators have panels on both sides, the numbers reaching all the way up to eighty-five, plus five underground levels. Zoro swallows hard when Sanji takes out a key and inserts it next to the number eighty-five, twisting it before the button lights up and the elevator starts moving.

"Top floor?" Zoro asks quietly.

Sanji shrugs, taking out the key. "I liked the view."

"Of course."

What's wrong with getting the penthouse that probably cost millions of Beris simply because you ' _like the view_ '? Zoro suddenly feels very small next to Sanji who, even while wearing his spare suit, looks like he's worth more than Zoro will ever see in his life. He can't believe Sanji ever allowed him to touch him.

The elevator doors open to a wide room with light gray concrete walls and marble floors. A crystal round chandelier instantly catches the eye, taking center stage as dozens of glittering lines fall from the ceiling, illuminating by a warm light. It literally looks like it's raining diamonds. To the side, Zoro can see the very simple living room—yet, it looks extremely fancy. A free-standing compartment wall divides the living room, the other side showing a large piano and another sitting section, this one with a ground table made entirely out of marble. The windows are large and seamless, giving off the impression that there are openings in the wall.

Sanji's apartment is clean and classy—everywhere he looks, there's glass and marble, white and metal, expensive and luxurious.

"I only have one guest room, so you and Chopper can sleep together if you want," Sanji says awkwardly, giving his own house a once-over. "Or…you can stay with me…if you want."

"I, uh…that's fine," Zoro says softly. Just the living room alone is the same size as his apartment.

Sanji nods and briskly leads the way to the guest room. They have to pass through the gym—entirely made out of glass, mirrors, and matted floors, the center wide open with weights and lifting machines lining the sides—and the kitchen—chrome and white, with a wide cooking table top, two ovens, and a refrigerator that looks about three times the size of Zoro's—to get to the guest room.

The room is about the same size as their apartment, but it looks very simple. A wooden platform with a queen-sized bed, a dresser, a bedside table, and a flat-screen TV. There's a white, simple table facing the outside windows, a closed laptop on top and a pencil case next to it. The back wall has two large windows, similar to the ones in the living room, except these face the outside patio—and farther off, the open sea. On the wall to the right of the bed is a simple black door.

"The bathroom is through that door," Sanji says, opening it to give them a view into the small, but beautiful room. The right wall and ceiling are completely made out of glass plates, light shining through the cracks when Sanji turns on a switch. The floor and sink counter are made out of a dark gray marble and the counter has small shelves underneath where he keeps dark brown towels. The plumbing of the sink is hidden from view by three wooden plates, but when Sanji reaches down to pull on the bottom one, he reveals a drawer full of toiletries. The toilet seat is in front of the sink, with the shower on the wall opposite the door. There is no bathtub, just the shower, but there is a stone seat inside the shower, and the shower head is one of those that you can pull out like a hose.

"I know Devil's Fruit eaters can't touch water, so I suggest you sit down before showering," Sanji says. "Or call your dad to help you. Don't worry about the glass—no matter how hard you hit it, it won't break."

"Okay," Chopper nods. "Thank you for letting us stay here, Sanji."

"Anytime, Chopper," Sanji smiles. "I'm really glad to have you guys here."

"Alright, buddy, let's go to bed," Zoro says before he's forced to lie and tell Sanji he's glad to be here. He feels too uncomfortable, like he can stain everything around him just by touching it. He picks up Chopper and dumps him on the bed, grinning when Chopper bounces then sinks into the soft and plush bed. Chopper squeals in laughter and quickly hides underneath the thick covers.

"This bed is so comfy!" his squeaky voice shouts. "And so soft!"

"Okay. Now remember: tomorrow Sanji is taking us out shopping, so we have to be up early," Zoro says seriously. "So no staying up to look up things in the computer—I saw you looking at it!"

"I didn't—fine," Chopper grumbles. "I'll go straight to bed."

"Bonne nuit," Sanji says. "Do you want me to only dim the lights?" Sanji asks Zoro quietly. The marimo nods, knowing Chopper is still a little afraid of the dark, kisses his son goodnight, and follows Sanji out of the room. Chopper gives him a parting smile before he snuggles deeper into the blankets and closes his eyes.

Sanji's room is in the opposite end of the building, the farthest room on the left. The east wall faces the pool outside, which is connected to the patio outside of Chopper's room. The south side, which also gives a view into the ocean, is blocked by the entrance into the bathroom.

Sanji's bed is bigger, about king sized, with a platform frame and headboard made out of a grayish wood. There is a sitting area near the large windows, both chairs facing the ocean view with a glass coffee table in the center. Two shorter square tables sit at either side of the bed, a small alarm clock sitting on the one in the right. There's a painting that looks more like somebody just splattered paint on a white canvas on the wall facing the bed with a bench underneath it, and a cluttered desk opposite it with a large computer screen facing the bed.

Despite the furnishing, the room looks empty. Looking at his bedroom—and the rest of the house, really—Zoro would never think that somebody lives here. This is Sanji's house, and so far, Zoro hasn't seen anything that can make him believe the cook actually lives here. It's…sad, really.

Suddenly, it makes a lot of sense why Sanji chooses to spend most of his time at his home.

"I kind of went all out on the bed," Sanji says, his voice oddly quiet. "I don't get much sleep, with my working hours, but the bed is comfortable as hell. It's made out of foam, gel, and latex so it's never too hard or too soft. And it doesn't get too hot, either, so I don't wake up sweating even though I kind of run hot."

"You sound like one of those commercial people with all the hype," Zoro snorts. "Are you trying to sell me one?"

"Shut up," Sanji snaps, smacking him in the arm. "I'm nervous here, you moron. We're basically living together now."

"You were the one who suggested it," Zoro reminds him. "And I'm the one who should be nervous—I feel like I'm gonna break something just by looking at it. Seriously, how much did you spend in this place?"

"Not that much, actually," Sanji shrugs. "Robin's husband is the vice-president of the company that built the entire place, so he gave me a pretty big discount. Most of the stuff here came with the place already, so I'm not too attached. The only things I care about are in the kitchen, and you won't ever mess around in there, so don't worry about messing things up. Everything can be replaced."

Zoro snorts and crosses his arms. Yeah right, replaced. The cheapest thing around probably cost more than he makes in a month. Seriously, how can people even be this rich? It's not that he thinks Sanji is a bad person, but there are people back in East Blue living paycheck to paycheck while others are living like…well, like this.

Maybe that's why Sanji helps you out. Because he knows he can.

"Do you want to borrow something to sleep in?" Sanji asks, breaking the tense silence again. "I think I have an old shirt that might fit you loose."

"Nah, that's alright," Zoro shrugs, kicking off his shoes and lifting up his shirt. "I can sleep in my boxers."

"Oh….well, I'm gonna change into something more comfortable," Sanji says, averting his gaze. "Make yourself comfortable."

Zoro nods. Sanji opens the light wooden door on the right side, and Zoro gets a brief look into his walk-in closet before the door closes behind him.

He finishes stripping down, then folds his clothes and puts them on the bench, his boots neatly placed next to it. He feels kind of weird climbing into the strange bed though the feeling quickly leaves him once he realizes that the cook was right: this bed is fucking comfortable as hell.

He groans loudly, feeling his muscles loosen out and his tension seep away. He closes his eyes and it almost feels like he's floating. The fur bed throw underneath his legs is super soft, as are the white comforter and the linen sheets underneath. Even when he turns on his side, he feels amazing—and he hates sleeping on his side. There is literally no wrong position to sleep in, and when Sanji walks out wearing a long-sleeve cotton shirt and loose pajama pants, he finds him almost purring and huddled underneath the thick and soft blankets.

"What did I tell you?" Sanji grins, climbing in next to him. "Fucking comfortable as all shit, right?"

"I feel like a baby," Zoro admits, opening his arms to let Sanji cuddle against him. "Can we never get up? I feel like that's a thing that should happen. We should make Sundays our bed day."

"Totally," Sanji agrees, and Zoro feels him smirking against the tender skin of his neck. "You know what else is great about this bed? It won't creak when we're having sex."

"Is that right?" Zoro hums, grinning when he feels Sanji kiss his collarbone. "And how are the walls?"

"Soundproof," Sanji says, moving up to kiss him eagerly. "So you can be as loud as you want."

"If I remember correctly, you were the noisy one," Zoro says breathlessly, swallowing down an embarrassing noise that threatens to escape when Sanji's hand kneads at his growing member.

"Yeah, let's see how composed you are when I'm the one fucking you," Sanji murmurs, and once again kisses him roughly. Zoro moans softly and eagerly accepts Sanji's lips, opening his mouth to taste the other man. He tastes sweet and minty, like chocolate mint ice cream.

"Had some at the Baratie," the cook hums when Zoro mentions it out loud.

"I like it," Zoro grins, letting Sanji push him on his back.

They move gently, nothing like the day before. Sanji takes his time with Zoro, biting and sucking on every stretch of skin, painting the tan canvas with touches of red. He uses his hands to learn Zoro's body, dragging his fingertips down the length of him, tracing the grooves of his muscles.

It's slow and sensual, the kind of sex Zoro has never had before. He wants to touch every part of Sanji's body, learn his touch, his taste, his smell. He catalogues the things that make him gasp, like when he bites at his hips or his collarbone; Sanji moans when Zoro sucks on his neck, licks at his belly button, drags his nails down his sides. But when Zoro bites on his Achilles' tendon, sucks on the groove where leg and torso meet, scrapes his teeth on the tender skin behind his ear, then the cook absolutely shakes with pleasure, biting at his lips to keep his sounds in.

Sanji explores him, too. He touches and licks, rarely using his teeth. The cook relies on his hands and his mouth, tracing the contours of Zoro's body with both. The swordsman feels exposed, more naked than he has ever been as Sanji's eyes graze over his body, but it's a good feeling. The cook finds all of his scars, even the ones Zoro didn't know he had, and kisses them softly, lips almost a whisper as they graze his scarred chest. His fingers follow the natural line of his body, stopping to explore especially sensitive areas. Zoro learns new things about his body through Sanji's touch. He learns that he likes it when Sanji traces each vertebra, his eyes roll back in pleasure when the cook suck on his nipples, his whole body turns to putty when the cook bites his ear, tongue licking at his studs.

Sanji takes extra time spreading him open. His fingers are long, reaching deep inside of him, but they're thin, so he works his way up to four before he deems Zoro prepared enough. Zoro eagerly spreads his legs and hugs the cook as he works his way inside, breath hitching as Sanji's hot length pierces him and immediately strikes that sensitive spot inside of him.

"Fuck," he groans, back arching as Sanji bottoms out. He feels Sanji's soft lips brushing the stretched length of his throat, a contrast to the rough graze of his goatee. Zoro's legs are wrapped around the cook, his heels digging into his back and Sanji's arms are wrapped around Zoro's torso.

Sanji moves steadily, his powerful legs giving his thrusts just the exact amount of force they need to completely unravel Zoro. Zoro can't keep quiet, his vocal cords completely controlled by the movements of Sanji's hips, his entire body ablaze with heat and want.

Sanji is fucking perfect like this: his cheeks stained red, his legs working to push into him, his hands raking down his back. Sanji leans back, dragging Zoro into his lap, and the swordsman quickly follows, pushing down every time Sanji's thrusts up.

Sanji's hair is damp with sweat when Zoro grabs it, but he doesn't mind one bit, loving the feel of its softness on his fingers as he grips it and drags Sanji to a hot, open-mouth kiss.

"You feel so fucking amazing," Sanji murmurs, his voice rough and his breath hot. "I'm so close."

Zoro moans, meeting Sanji's gaze. They're not kissing anymore, more like gasping into each other's mouths, their lips touching. Every so often, Zoro licks his lips, asking for a taste of Sanji's mouth, getting his fix of the addicting flavor.

Sanji's tempo increases, grunting with effort as he fucks up more roughly into Zoro. His deft hands wrap around Zoro's hardened flesh, working it slickly. Zoro gasps and tightens, laughing breathlessly when Sanji curses and sends him an accusing glare.

"I can't…come before you," Sanji gasps out and digs his thumb into Zoro's slit.

"It's fine," Zoro assures him, letting his own hand join Sanji's. "You can come. I'm close, too."

Sanji shakes his head stubbornly and squeezes his eyes shut, head falling against Zoro's shoulder. One of his hand moves down to squeeze Zoro's balls, the other moving up to pinch and play with Zoro's hardened nipple. Zoro keeps working himself, rubbing at the head, digging into the slit, pressing on the base: all the things that get him off when he's by himself.

But despite his efforts, it's the feeling of Sanji finally unraveling inside of him that gets him to come. The heat reaches its boiling point as Sanji coats him white, and the sound of his name on the cook's lips makes him shudder deliciously. He works himself through his orgasm, flexing around Sanji and milking him of his spent until it starts to hurt both of them.

Sanji slips out and pushes him back on the bed, falling next to him.

"Goddamn it," Sanji groans into Zoro's shoulders. "I wanted you to come first."

Zoro rolls his eyes. "We both came, what's the point?"

"The point is, I came without you having to touch my dick when you fucked me!" Sanji snaps childishly.

"I have more experience than you do," Zoro shrugs. "Besides, some people just like bottoming more."

"What, you're saying you didn't like it?" Sanji demands in, raising himself a little to look down at Zoro, his eyebrows scrunched angrily. Zoro decides not to tell him his hair is pushed back, enjoying the unobstructed view of his face. Sanji's eyes are a stark blue, a color purer than the ocean outside. He looks beautiful—even with the weird eyebrows.

"I liked it," Zoro assures him. "I don't like it more or less than topping, though. It's just…different, I guess. So stop worrying about your sexual prowess, cook. You blew my mind."

"Oh oui," Sanji says, grinning widely. "I fucked your brains out."

Zoro rolls his eyes and shifts to face the cook. Sanji glances at him, a childish grin still in place, and Zoro can't help but kiss him again. Sanji makes a happy sound that warms Zoro's heart and eagerly returns the kiss. They don't say anything, but they keep on kissing, limbs tangled so closely that it's impossible to tell where one begins and the other ends.

They fall asleep like this.

Zoro has never slept better in his entire life. Sleeping on Sanji's bed is like sleeping on a cloud, surrounded by warm, fuzzy puppies, while being fanned by large leaves like they do in the movies. He never wants to get up.

But Sanji isn't in bed with him, and after a while, he decides he much rather find the cook than stay in bed. His sticky ass reminds him that needs to take a shower, though.

He opens the door he remembers leads into the closet—if the room can be called that. It's about the same size as Chopper's room, decorated like one would decorate a shop. There is a three-way mirror in the center, set up atop a small stage. The walls are lined with shelves, dressers, cubicles, and sliding doors, each thing perfectly aligned to organize everything the cook owns.

There are sliding shelves that reveals rows upon rows of shoes, cabinets holding ties in every color he can think of, hangers that hold suits, some double breasted, a few single breasted, and some three-pieces. Sanji has dress shirts in every color, ranging from plain white to bright orange. A small drawer reveals gold and silver cufflinks, another one rows of watches, and a third one has those handkerchiefs the cook likes to put in his breast pocket.

There is a section with more laid back clothing, but that is kept near the back of the room. There, Zoro finds a pair of dark jeans that fit him perfectly, a shirt that fits him snug around the shoulders but loose everywhere else, and a drawer full of underwear.

He frowns down at the clothes he picked. They look brand new, and despite being similar to what Zoro himself owns, he's sure they cost a lot more. But he needs to shower, so he balls them up under his arm and goes looking for the bathroom. Luckily, he tries the only other door inside the room first and sighs when he sees the bathroom.

Like everything else, it's amazing. The door opens and immediately faces yet another window with an amazing view. This one offers a look into the coastline, the right side miles and miles of ocean blue, and the left side covered with the other tall skyscrapers that line the coastline. This building is the tallest, though, so Zoro gets to look down on everyone.

There is a bathtub directly in front of the window that looks like an egg cut in half on its side. To the right of it, there are two sinks and light fixtures embedded on the wall around the wide mirror. The cabinets below the sinks are made out of the same wood that makes the cook's bed frame, and on the opposite side of the sinks, a single glass wall separates the shower.

Every wall is made out of marble, including the floor, so the cook has a rough carpet inside the large shower to keep from slipping. There are various knobs embedded on the wall, but no shower head. Inside the shower, there is yet another wide window, this one showing mostly just the other skyscrapers with a sliver of ocean. Next to the shower, there is a plain white door that hides the toilet, and directly across from it—next to the sinks—there is a small shelf that holds a couple of rows full of fluffy, white towels, with bathrobes hanging above it.

Zoro grabs a towel and places it on the sink counter with his clothes, then decides to brave the shower. It takes him a while of fumbling with the various knobs to try and get water running. The first knob he tries only fills the glass room with steam. The second one gets him cold water—but it shoots out of the walls around him not from above. The one directly next to it does the same, except with hot water. When he finally gets cold water to shoot from above him, it comes out like rainwater from a metal plate above him. He turns the knob next to the one he tried last, and the water starts to warm up.

"Stupid cook with his stupid, complicated shower," Zoro mutters, but he can't deny that the water pressure is amazing. He spends a little more time than necessary washing his hair—the shampoo he uses smells flowery and it reminds him of Sanji's hair—but he's sure Sanji has already prepared breakfast, and the cook's food is better than anything.

He dries quickly with the fluffy towel and slips Sanji's clothes on before he rushes out in search of the kitchen.

It's harder than he expects; the cook's house is like a maze, the walls moving every time Zoro turns around. He finds Chopper's room first, then somehow ends on the edge of the pool. When he traces his steps back, he finds himself in the living room and notices for the first time the huge painting on the wall. It depicts the terrible battle between a lone ship and a giant Sea King. The detail in it is amazing, from the raging storm around the two entities, to the scales on the Sea King's back, to the miniature people fighting to keep their vessel afloat. It's surprisingly morbid, especially to be in the living room, but it has its charm.

After that, he finds the gym again, and he takes a short minute to explore it. The cook has a used kicking bag hanging off the side, the leather skin roughly used and stitched back together in some places. There are two more brand new ones leaning against the wall next to it. Most of his weights are lighter than what Zoro is used to lifting, though there are a few that even he would struggle with—maybe those are for his legs. Most of his equipment, though, is gymnastic. Zoro recognizes the long balance beam, the pommel horse, the vault, the rings, the uneven bars, and the high bar. There are a few other things he doesn't recognize, but it all looks self-explanatory.

When he exits the gym looking for the kitchen, he finds himself in the hall outside of the cook's room, where he finds Sanji exiting the bedroom.

"Cook!"

Sanji stops and glances at him, scowling. "What the hell are you doing, idiot marimo?"

"Your stupid house keeps moving!" Zoro snaps. "I was trying to get to the kitchen, but every time I turn around, there's a new door!"'

"I knew you'd get lost," Sanji mutters. "C'mon, Chopper's already in the kitchen."

Sanji leads him back to the kitchen, where he finds Chopper seated in one of the stools around the kitchen island. Just like Zoro thought when he was shopping for him, the cook has everything a chef could possibly need: a set of knives, a standup mixer, a cabinet full of ceramic plates, pans, woks, skillets, and a lot more.

"Morning, Dad," Chopper greets brightly, happily eating what looks like a really big pancake.

"I made Dutch pancakes," Sanji says, raising his skillet for Zoro to see. "Don't worry, yours are not too sweet."

"Thanks," Zoro says, taking a seat next to Chopper. He watches as Sanji moves to the counter to fiddle with what looks like a commercial espresso machine. He has a whole system set up, which looks even more professional than the one at Ririka's place. Zoro can see an industrial coffee maker, various syrup containers, a couple of bags of ground coffee, and other equipment he recognizes but doesn't know the name of.

"Sanji's house is really pretty, isn't it, Dad?" Chopper says happily, stuffing his mouth full of pancake.

"It is," Zoro agreed as Sanji set a plate and coffee cup in front of him. "Though there are too many windows. Anyone can just break one and steal all your shit."

Sanji snorts. "We're more than thirteen hundred feet above ground—but sure, someone can definitely rob me," he says sarcastically. "Estupide."

"I like them," Chopper says. "They all face the ocean, and it looks really pretty."

"Doesn't it?" Sanji smiles. "I love the sea. You know, when I was younger, I had this crazy dream of building a restaurant in All Blue. A floating restaurant where you can get any type of fish you want. But ships aren't allowed to set sail in All Blue and the only place that borders that sea is Raftel, and it's very difficult to buy property in that city. The World Government has a bunch of regulations set up, since it's the capital of the world and all."

"That would be so cool, though," Chopper says.

"Yeah, cook. It would've been amazing," Zoro says.

Sanji beams at them and sets a small cup with melted chocolate in front of Zoro. "Try it. It's not too sweet."

Zoro shrugs and drips some of it on top of his pancake. He tastes it, eyes widening at the slightly spicy taste. There is some sweetness in there, but not too much that it overpowers the palate.

"It's good," he admits.

"Chili and chocolate," Sanji smiles. He serves himself a pancake topped with strawberries and powder sugar, a frothy espresso on his right. "Other than Sabaody, is there anything you guys want to do today?"

"Can we go to the park?" Chopper asks excitedly. "I want to try out all of my change forms! Kobato says that a Zoan type usually only has three forms, but I bet I can figure out a way to get more."

"Aren't you more upset about this?" Zoro asks. "I mean, you won't be able to swim anymore."

"Technically, I still can," Chopper says. "I just need something to hold me up, like one of those floating things Luffy has."

"Just be careful around the pool," Sanji says worriedly. "It's pretty deep and I don't have any handrails around it."

"I'll be fine," Chopper assures him.

They finish up breakfast and get ready to leave. Sanji let Zoro borrow a thick, fleece trench coat, donning a gray sweater under a black parka for himself. He gives Chopper a bomber jacket that fits the little kid a lot big, but covers him from the cold wind perfectly. Zoro turns down the offer for gloves and a scarf, grinning when he sees the cook bundle up. He and Chopper look like balls of cloth with all their layers.

Shopping with Sanji is a different experience than shopping with his friends. It's soon made clear that Sanji is not a stranger to Sabaody since everywhere they stop, he's greeted warmly by name. The cook is a valued customer everywhere he goes, and the quality of service they receive is greatly improved because of this.

Also, since Zoro is not only wearing Sanji's clothes, but walking hand-in-hand with the cook, the same courtesy is extended to him and Chopper. Nobody looks at him weird when they enter stores that sell shoes more expensive than his rent. Nobody asks him if he's lost, or if he knows how much things cost. Nobody looks down on him or talks behind his back.

Living on their own, clothes were not a priority for Zoro. He owned two pairs of jeans, four t-shirts, one pair of shoes, one sweater, and his favorite leather jacket. He bought new briefs every three months or so, but that was about it. Chopper, too, only owned two changes of his school uniform, a pair of slacks, one pair of jeans, and three t-shirts. He had his black dress shoes for school and tennis shoes for when he went running with Zoro in the mornings.

With Sanji, however, it's clear that isn't enough.

"You need to have options," Sanji says, picking out a couple of dress shirts for Zoro to try on. "Besides, you can't wear jeans to the Baratie. You're going to need more formal wear."

Zoro puts his foot down on some of the more outrageous things—he does not need silk ties, nor does he need eight pairs of shoes—but the cook goes wild when purchasing clothes for Chopper and even Zoro can't stop him.

"Do you know who goes to New World? Rich, snotty kids who bought their way in," Sanji tells Zoro, handing Chopper three different tan colored slacks to try on. The cook swears they're different colors, but Zoro can only see brown. "These kids are cruel, and Chopper is seven. I'm not going to have some shitty bastard making fun of my—Chopper. Of Chopper."

Zoro knows Sanji had been about to say 'my kid', but decides not to mention it. He doesn't know how he feels about Sanji being so possessive over them. Zoro isn't one to take charity, but every day, it starts to feel less and less like charity, and more like Sanji just being Sanji. It's obvious that out of the two of them, Zoro is the one putting more importance to money.

They spend a good five hours just shopping, and soon it's time for Zoro to go pick up Sanji's present. The cook tries to get Zoro to tell him what it is, but the swordsman won't budge. At the end, Sanji sends him off with a kick to the head when Zoro says it's a dildo.

When Zoro and Chopper walk inside the kitchen supply store, Liam greets him promptly, much nicer than he was yesterday.

"Your present is ready and wrapped," Liam informs Zoro, giving Chopper a small smile.

"Dad, I want to get Sanji something, too," Chopper says, tugging on his jacket. "Can I borrow some money?"

"Sure, buddy," Zoro says. "Go find something and I'll pay for it."

Chopper gets the cook a pink, frilly apron that reads 'KISS THE COOK' in large, curly letters with a heart on top of the I. Chopper's favorite color is pink, so it make sense that he picked that apron, but Zoro can't help but laugh when he imagines the look on the cook's face when he opens the gift.

He's looking for the little coffee shop Sanji told him to meet at, when he feels someone approach him from behind and turns around.

Saga blinks, surprised, then smiles. "I could never catch you unaware."

"Hey, man," Zoro greets hesitantly. He likes Saga—they were friends since very early in their youth—but the last time they saw each other, Zoro rejected his offer for sex.

"Doing some Christmas shopping?" he asks, glancing down at their shopping bags.

"Uh, yeah. You too?"

"We're doing a secret Santa thing at school," Saga rolls his eyes. "I don't even know the guy I'm supposed to be buying for."

"Give him a gift card or something," Zoro shrugs. "That's what I'd do."

Saga laughs. "I should. How about some coffee?" Saga adds, pointing to the small shop Zoro had been looking for.

"Sure."

Zoro grabs Chopper's hand to cross the street, making Saga look down at the kid and smile. "Hey Chopper. I haven't congratulated you about getting accepted at New World."

"Thank you," Chopper smiles. "Classes don't start until January, but I'm so excited!"

"And your birthday is on Christmas day, isn't it?" Saga asks. "Aren't you excited about that?"

"It's on Christmas Eve," Chopper corrects. "But I am really excited. Sanji said he was going to buy me an amazing Christmas present!"

"You really like Sanji, don't you?"

Zoro glances at Saga sharply as they take their seats inside the warm shop. Zoro sits next to the window to keep an eye out for the cook.

"Yes," Chopper nods. "He makes the best food ever and his bed is really fluffy."

"Can I get your order?" the server asks politely, cutting in before Saga can say anything.

Zoro orders a cup of coffee for himself and a hot chocolate for Chopper. Saga orders something complicated, like Sanji usually does.

"So how have you been? We didn't talk much last time," Saga says, smiling. It's a subtle reminder of the heavy make out session they had last time they met, where they were too busy sucking face to do much talking.

"Nothing much. I got a new job," Zoro replies curtly.

"Oh really? Where?"

"At the Baratie," Zoro shrugs. "Sanji owns the place."

Saga's eyes narrow and his smile becomes a little more forced. "Does he? Well, it looks like he's just perfect, isn't he?"

"He really is!" Chopper replies, oblivious to the tension between the two adults.

They continue to do small talk, catching up for the last couple of years. Despite the still present tension, the conversation is entertaining, reminding Zoro why he and Saga were such good friends in school. Dating is what had ruined things…they simply aren't dating material.

Sanji arrives around half an hour later loaded with shopping bags and greets Saga warmly.

"Are those our Christmas presents?" Chopper asks excitedly.

"Yes," Sanji smiles. "For you, the shitty moss, and all the others."

"Yay! Look, Dad, that one is huge."

"I see that. What is it, shit cook?"

"It's a surprise for Nami, you useless swordsman," Sanji snaps.

"Well, I think it's about time for me to go," Saga says, standing up. "It was nice seeing you again, Sanji. Goodbye, Zoro; Chopper."

"Yeah, see you, Saga," Zoro says, waving goodbye.

* * *

 **A/N: When I first started writing this, I didn't have a plot to follow. I literally just sat down and started writing. Not the best way to start a story, I admit, but I haven't hit a wall so far, so...yeah. Anyway, I didn't put much planning into the world, but this is what iI have:**

 **The Red Line and the Grand Line are the only two continents in the world, which are separated by a Calm Belt. The Red Line lies in the Northwest, so North Blue and West Blue are in the Red Line, while South Blue and East Blue are in the Grand Line. Places like East Blue, North Blue, New World, and Paradise are countries, which look similar to Europe in the sense that they are all close together and it takes only hours to drive to the neighboring country (unlike the U.S. where you can drive for two days and you're still in the same country). Some islands are cities, while some of the bigger islands are countries. I'll try to be specific in the story line, but feel free to ask me.**  
 **I know it's confusing and I'm sorry for not putting too much thought into it, but I'm already halfway through the story and I can't go back and change things. It'll only make it even more confusing.**


	7. Chapter 7

The Baratie opens promptly at eight, but all of the cooks have to be there two hours before opening time to begin preparing some of the meals. They also have staff meetings early in the mornings on Fridays for all of the other workers.

Like Sanji explains to him on the way to the Baratie, a restaurant doesn't just run on cooks. Each person has a title and a job that has to be done perfectly, or the whole business will crash and burn. Dishwashing might not sound important, but if there aren't any clean plates, the cooks won't be able to serve the dishes, and servers will have no meals to deliver. There can be no weak links in the chain.

Apart from servers, a restaurant also houses a dishwasher, a sommelier, food runners, bartenders, busboys, hostesses, and even a pianist to provide ambiance music. Zoro has been hired as a server though if it's too busy, he will have to help out wherever needed.

Zoro doesn't mind. He's completely aware that he will have to pull his weight and more in this job. Not only is he the new guy, but he's the new guy that is banging the boss' son. Zoro knows the other workers expect him to abuse his relationship with Sanji, probably try to wiggle his way out of doing any work, so he has to show them otherwise. Not only is he sure Sanji would kick him to hell and back if he lazed around, but that isn't who he is, either. Sure, he prefers to fall asleep than to work, but that doesn't mean he doesn't take care of his responsibilities.

When they arrive, almost all of the other workers are there. There are seven other servers, five girls and two guys, and four of every other position, two to cover the morning shift, two for the busier evening shift. The Baratie is open from eight to ten, which means everyone is able to get enough hours to claim a full-time job.

The cooks are in the kitchen, preparing the meals that take the longest to be ready while they wait for the two workers that are still missing.

"Oi, shitty geezer! Lester texted me. He'll be here in a five minutes," Sanji tells his father as he rolls his sleeves and begins preparing something that looks like dough. Zoro isn't sure since it looks almost black.

Sanji's father, Zeff, is an older man with a long, braided mustache and an extremely tall chef's hat. His right leg is missing, replaced with a wooden leg. He has blonde hair and blue eyes, and Zoro finds it hard to believe that Sanji is adopted since the two look so much alike.

"So you're the Eggplant's lettuce," Zeff growls, glancing at Zoro.

"Excuse me?"

"Oi, leave him alone, old man," Sanji snaps. "Watch your bread or it'll burn."

"My bread is cooking fine, brat," Zeff snaps back. "Can't an old man look at the bastard that's corrupting his child?"

"I'm not a kid!" Sanji says, stomping his foot, well, childishly.

"Uh, hello," Zoro says, trying to sound polite. "My name is Zoro. It's nice to meet you."

Sanji raises an eyebrow and scoffs, and Zeff only gives his hand a disgusted stare and turns his back on him.

"Make sure you work hard, lettuce-head," the old cook growls.

"Yes, sir."

"You don't have to 'sir' him, moss," Sanji rolls his eyes. "He's just a shitty old man."

"Get the fuck out of my kitchen and go make sure that friend of yours is here already," Zeff snaps. "Get going, shitty brat."

Sanji scoffs again but obeys. He motions for Zoro to follow him, lighting a cigarette as he exits the kitchen. Zoro eyes the amber light curiously. He hated the smell of cigarette at the beginning, but now he finds that he actually likes it. He can't imagine Sanji without a cigarette in his mouth, that bitter scent surrounding him. Most of the time, though, he doesn't notice when the cook smokes. It's just such a part of him that it's like noticing that he has blue eyes every time he looks into his eyes.

The two missing workers show up within minutes of each other. The first one is a pink-haired cook Sanji gushes over, practically declaring his love right then and there. The second one is a dark-skinned man that introduces himself as Lester. He's the pianist of the Baratie at night but sometimes helps out in the mornings as a host.

Finally, the meeting starts. Zeff talks about the change in menu, a reservation that has been made for a party of seventeen, and then introduces Zoro.

"Roronoa is going to be the new server," Zeff tells the other staff, nodding towards the swordsman. "He'll work from eight to three so Rebecca can take care of her classes in the morning. He'll be in charge of section D."

"That's the one closest to the kitchen, marimo," Sanji smirks. "So there's no excuse for getting lost."

"Fuck you, curly."

"Shitty moss."

"Shit cook."

"Algae-for-brains."

"Oh, that's a new one."

"I know. It just came to me."

"I didn't say it was good, pervert cook."

"Can you two brats stop flirting?" Zeff growls, glaring at the couple.

"If that's what you call flirting, I'm not surprised you never dated while I was younger," Sanji snorts.

Zeff glares at his son, before turning back to his amused staff and finishing the meeting.

Half of the staff leaves when Zeff finishes up since they have the afternoon shift. Zoro helps the other workers clean the dining floor area before the doors are opened to the public. By the time the first customers step in, the entire restaurant smells of wonderful, warm food.

Despite every table filling up in about ten minutes, Zoro doesn't really have to do much. The customers only want him around when it's time to order, or when they run low on drinks, so he moves back into the kitchen a couple of times to sneak bites out of the egg and cheese casserole Sanji prepared. Since Lester only plays in the evening, they have music playing on the speakers though it's loudest in the kitchen to be heard above the hustle of hard work. They're old songs—they were old when Zeff was young, and they're even older now—and Sanji complains about them all the time, but Zoro catches him humming along to a pretty tune a couple of times.

Working at the Baratie isn't that difficult. Through training and meditation, Zoro has improved his memory, being able to recall and forget things at his will, so learning the menu isn't that hard. The customers don't really engage in conversation, only talking to him when they need something. Zoro doesn't mind; he's not exactly a people person.

He's surprised to see, though, that every customer leaves a tip. Back at Ririka's, only his regulars left tips, and that was only a couple of Beris at the most. But here, the cheapest tip he gets is twenty Beri from a man that only ordered a cup of coffee to drink while he read his newspaper.

Abi, a young girl who is in charge of sector B, explains to Zoro that that the Baratie runs on reservations, and that they have the next two months completely booked. She also tells him that the hostess is in charge of sitting the customers, and most of the time, she sends the bigger parties to section A.

"That's the one that gets the biggest tips," she says while they wait near the kitchen for one of their customers to call them over. "You'll get tips on other sectors, too, but the smallest tip I've ever gotten on sector A is fifty Beri. Sector D doesn't see big tippers since the hostess always sits the smallest parties there since it's so close to the kitchen."

Muret, the other girl working in the morning with Zoro, doesn't really talk to him other than to order him around or bark at him to get back to work. She's in charge of sector C, the one near the stage where Lester plays, and according to Abi, gets really full during the evening shift. Porche, a blue-haired girl, is the one in charge of sector A. Abi tells him that they usually rotate sectors once a week to be fair, but since he's a newbie, they will skip him this month.

He's fine with it. There are exactly forty tables inside the Baratie, so Zoro is in charge of ten tables at any given time, and they're pretty good tippers, despite what Abi says. It starts getting busier closer to lunch time, around noon or so, so Zoro has to work a little harder to please the customers that arrive. Every table is made to sit four people, but when they get a bigger party, they move tables together. Zoro gets a couple of parties with six customers, and another one with twelve, so that's already half of the tables he has to take care off.

There is a party of three sitting as far away from the kitchen as possible but still inside sector D, that has been waiting to order for about five minutes, and Zoro can see them getting irritated. He tries to be as quick as possible with the other customers, and rushes to them as soon as he's free.

"Welcome to the Baratie, my name is Zoro, and I'll be your server today," Zoro says, greeting the group with what he hopes is a warm smile. Necessity is a bitch, and Zoro has found that he can't afford to be rude with these people when his income depends on them.

The group, which includes two girls and a pink-haired guy with a metal slate over his knuckles, look at him in surprise.

"Well, you're new," the man says, giving Zoro a disdainful glance. "What happened to the pretty blonde girl?"

Zoro tries to remember the other two female servers not working right now, Rebecca and Ever, but neither one is blonde. She must be the one Zoro replaced, then.

"I'm sorry sir, but she doesn't work here anymore."

"Why?"

"I don't know," Zoro answers honestly. "But I'll be more than glad to help you. Are you ready to order or would you like some more time?"

"I'm ready," one of his companions, a girl with curly red hair, says while smiling at Zoro. She glances at her dark-skinned friend and giggles.

Zoro ignores this, fights off the urge to roll his eyes, and takes out his little note pad to write down their order.

"I'll have the yogurt with fruits, nuts, and roll oats," she says, glancing at her menu. "A cup of coffee—two sugars, no cream—and a tall glass of apple juice. No ice."

"I'll have the oatmeal with fresh berries and bananas and a tall glass of orange juice. Lots of ice," the dark-skinned girl says, giggling. Why she's giggling, Zoro has no idea.

He turns to the man, but when he doesn't answer, Zoro swallows urge to snap at him and instead says "And you, sir?"

"I'll have the Denver omelet cups with a side of French toast nuggets, and a venti macchiato, half and half, eight pumps vanilla, extra whip."

Zoro stares down at what he just wrote, wanting to ask if the guy is serious about the eight pumps. It's none of his business how people take their coffee, so he shrugs and takes the order to the food runner, taking a quick second to glance at Sanji who's working hard, then goes back out to take check back on his customers.

Zoro takes appetizers and drinks to the party of three, since their food is going to take around half an hour to be ready. The girls get heart-shaped gluten-free pancakes with strawberries and cream—Zoro is almost sure Sanji prepared these—and the guy gets cinnamon and apple waffles.

He checks on them only a couple of times throughout the course of their meal, since the guy looks annoyed every time he comes near their table.

He loses track of time until the kitchen doors open and the cook pokes his head out. "Oi, shit-for-brains! Come inside the kitchen as soon as Jerry gets in."

Zoro nods, not wanting to insult the cook when he's in front of customers. Sanji smirks and goes back into the kitchen. Rebecca comes in about ten minutes later, closely followed by Kamakiri and Jerry, the other two male servers. Porche—who Zoro can already tell is a gossiper—tells him that Ever is almost always late, but since she's partnered with Abi, she never gets in trouble.

Jerry is the one taking over his section, so he greets the man once he has changed into the uniform.

"Alright. Just so you know, if any of these people leave within the next twenty minutes, their tips are going to you," Jerry tells him. "If they take more than that, I keep the tips. It's a matter of trust, but you can be sure I won't play you out of your money."

"Thanks," Zoro says. Abi and Muret have already gone upstairs to get change into their street clothes, but Zoro heads back into the kitchen like Sanji asked him.

The cook is preparing some sort of dish, so Zoro takes a seat somewhere out of the way and takes out the money he made in tips. He counts it once, then once more, and then a third time just to make sure.

"You think someone cheated you?" Sanji's voice startles him and he jumps, meeting the cook's eyes with his own wide ones. "They might have left you less tips because you look a bit scary with the punkish hair."

"Three hundred and thirty-five Beris," Zoro says, staring at the bills in his hands. "I made three hundred and thirty-five Beris in seven hours. Dude, this job is amazing!"

"That's nothing, marimo," Sanji scoffs and sets a plate next to him. "The evening servers make at least five hundred Beris on a slow day, plus their salary. Most of the people that eat here have money to throw around—the bigger they tip, the better they feel about themselves."

"I'm fine with that," Zoro grins, looking down at the pasta dish Sanji prepared for him "What's this?" he asks.

"Summer Bouillabaisse with Smoky Rouille."

"Gesundheit."

"It's good, bastard. Just eat it."

Zoro knows it's going to taste good. He just doesn't see the point in telling Sanji. The cook already has an ego the size of the Mariejois tower, he doesn't need Zoro fanning it

"I was thinking we could go out after this," Sanji says softly, leaning against the table next to him.

"Like on a date?" Zoro asks, surprised.

"We haven't actually gone on one," Sanji reminds him.

And they haven't. He's known Sanji for six months now, so he knows the cook. He knows that Sanji can't go a day without smoking a cigarette, he knows that he can switch emotions faster than Zoro can blink. He knows that the cook loves all women, and it's not just sexual. He knows that his hands are his most precious possession; that he would die before using his hands in battle or before hitting a woman. Sanji has an honor code as unwavering as Zoro's. Sanji is kind and loyal. His body runs cold while his temper runs hot. He's passionate and bright. He's sarcastic and witty, but he knows when it's time to be serious. He has an oral fixation, and he's gifted with the grace of a fox.

Sanji is an observant person, the type that can figure out others, but will never figure out himself. Zoro thinks he can spend his whole life with the cook, and never get to know him. Strangely, the prospect isn't daunting. In fact, he finds himself looking forward to it, but that's dangerous territory, so he clears his mind and agrees to go out with Sanji. They don't do anything fancy for their date. They go pick up Chopper from Nami's, who Zoro had asked to babysit, then they head off to the park. The scene reminds Zoro of his dream: he and Sanji sitting on a park bench, Sanji with a bottle of tea, Zoro with a beer, and Chopper playing in the monkey bars. Sanji is looking at Chopper, a soft smile on his face as he watches Zoro's son play. He yells at a bigger kid who pushes Chopper, laughs when he transforms into a reindeer and lets the younger kids ride him.

It's once their back home, when the moon is high in the sky, Chopper has fallen asleep in what he calls his Brain Point—but Sanji calls chibi form—and the cook lays the sleeping kid softly on his bed, that Zoro thinks Sanji is beautiful.

They fall asleep kissing again.

Zoro forms a routine quickly. He wakes up early in the morning with Sanji to drop off Chopper with either Usopp, Luffy, or Nami, then heads to the Baratie and eats breakfast at the restaurant. Then, he helps the girls clean the dining room area before turning on the open sign.

He quickly learns that making friends with the food runner, a guy named Kebi, and the host, a girl named Olga, will make his life much easier. He also tries to get along with the other servers, since they always try to take care of a customer when he's too busy somewhere else. He returns the favor as many times as he can.

At three, he goes back to the kitchen to eat lunch with the cook, then they leave together and pick up Chopper. Sometimes, though, when it's exceptionally busy and his friends have the extra time to take care of his son, Sanji stays in the kitchen and Zoro stays with him to help out wherever necessary. He asks the cook how he had time to go cook for Zoro twice a day before, and Sanji guilty admits that he'd missed a lot of work.

"Zeff was pissed," he whispers, glancing at his father. "I think that's part of the reason he works you so hard."

Zoro doesn't mind too much. He make two thousand Beris a week—what he used to make every two weeks working three jobs— just in tips, so he's more than glad to say yes whenever the old man asks him to unload supplies or clean the kitchen floor.

On December 1st, Sanji decides to take the day off to go buy the Christmas tree with Chopper while Zoro works. He drops him off at seven, one hour later than usual, and gives him a quick goodbye kiss.

"I'll come get you at three," he promises. Zoro nods, sends a fond smile at Chopper, who's still mostly asleep in the back, and walks inside the restaurant through the back door, the one that leads directly to the kitchen.

"Good morning," he calls to the working cooks. He receives a few greetings in return, but most of them are too busy to say anything. At least, until they notice that Sanji is not with him.

"So, Zoro…you're dating our sweet Sous Chef," a Popeye look-alike that he thinks is named Patty says, grinning at him.

"Yup."

"How did you manage to do that?" This one is a pink-haired woman…Jenny? "I thought he was straighter than a ruler."

"Turns out he's one of those rubber rulers," Zoro says and a few of the cooks laugh.

"He had a lot of guys after him," Carne says. "Still does, I bet."

"Girls, too. That kid was born to flirt." This one Zoro is positive is called Jessica. She's blonde, like the cook, but older than both of them.

"Have you eaten yet?" Zeff asks gruffly, surprising everyone.

"Er, no," Zoro answers honestly. "Woke up too late."

Zeff only grunts, but hands him a plate full of oatmeal and fruits. Zoro gives it a hesitant glance, but he has learned not to turn down food when it's given to him by a Black. He takes a small bite, frowning at the sweetness that explodes in his palate.

"Thank you," he still says, missing Sanji's cooking.

"Head on to the main floor," Zeff says. "We're gonna have the staff meeting today."

Zoro nods and obeys. Most of his coworkers are already waiting, and it only takes about ten minutes for the missing few to arrive.

"As you all know, December is one of the busiest months of the year," Zeff begins. "I need you all to put in a hundred percent effort. Kamakiri, I've received a couple of complaints about you, so pick up the pace. Zoro, try to do something about that scowl of yours, you're scaring our clientele. You already look scary enough with that hair, I don't need you mean-mugging my customers. Ever, don't think I haven't noticed you coming in late."

He stops, glaring at them all for a moment. Zoro rubs at his forehead, scowl deepening.

"Does anyone have any comments?"

No one is stupid enough to answer that question, so Zeff lets them go after giving them a quick rundown of the new December menu.

Work that day is hard. The pink-haired man from his first day comes back with the two girls from before, and a third different one. Unlike the last time, he calls Zoro over all of the time to demand the silliest things. Why isn't his salt shaker full? Add more ice to my glass, the juice is getting warm. I don't like my eggs cooked with yolk, do them again.

Zoro can feel his brain pulsing with the need to punch the man in his fucking face and just be done with it. Abi had let him know earlier than the guy's name is Fullbody and that he's a Marine Lieutenant or some shit. Zoro doesn't want to cause trouble for Sanji or his father, so he fights his anger, trying to be civil to the man.

"Hey, how old are you?" the curly-haired one, Cassie, asks him.

"I'm twenty-five," Zoro replies curtly, filling up their glasses with more orange juice.

"Why is your hair green?" Amanda—the dark-skinned one—asks him curiously, leaning a bit forward so that the table presses against her breasts.

"Genetics."

"You must be from the work fields." Fullbody speaks loudly, as if trying to get the attention of the entire room. "People there get all kind of genetic mutations."

Zoro bites his tongue but gives on obvious glare to the man's pink hair. He walks away before he can lose his temper, calming down when he has to take care of a single mother with her son.

"You're really good with kids," she says, smiling as Zoro manages to get her son to eat.

"I have a son myself," Zoro admits. "He's about to turn eight on Christmas Eve."

"Oh, so he's Christmas miracle," the woman sighs dreamily.

"Can I get a damn waiter over here?" he hears Fullbody yell and rolls his eyes.

"Don't worry about him. That guy is such a jerk," the woman tells him, pinching his cheek. Zoro smiles, but it falls away as he approaches Fullbody's table.

"Yes, sir?"

"I would like a bottle of your most expensive wine."

"Right away sir."

When he returns with a bottle of Henri Jayer Richebourg, Lisa, the new girl, offers him a drink. "I'm sorry, ma'am, I can't drink at work," he says politely. Besides, he doesn't do fancy drinks; he prefers hard liquor.

"Oh, don't be such a party pooper," Amanda laughs. "Why don't you join us?"

He isn't sure who looks more appalled: him or Fullbody. "I can't. I'm working, ma'am."

"What time do you get off, then?" Cassie grins, and the three girls giggle again.

"We can have a real good time, right Fullbody baby?" Amanda says, doing what Zoro thinks is supposed to be a sexy pout. She looks a bit constipated, honestly.

"I don't think my boyfriend would like that," Zoro says honestly.

"You can invite him, too," Lisa says, smiling widely at him.

"You can leave now, waiter," Fullbody interrupts firmly, and Zoro has never been happier to obey the man. The group stays for another twenty minutes, but Fullbody only calls him in to ask for the check. After they leave, time goes by a lot faster and it isn't too long before Sanji and Chopper are waiting for him outside.

"Dad! Dad, we bought the biggest tree ever!" Chopper squeals excitedly, sitting at the edge of his seat, his hands holding on to Sanji's and Zoro's seats. "And it's real!"

"I told the others to come in around five," Sanji says. "Should give me plenty of time to finish up a couple of dishes."

"How big is the tree, exactly?" Zoro asks, fearing the worst.

"Oh, around twelve feet," Sanji shrugs. "And you don't get to complain about anything, because I just found out your birthday was over two weeks ago, and you didn't tell me anything."

"Ah." He didn't tell Sanji about his birthday because he knew the cook would get him something unnecessarily expensive. He's happy just hanging out with friends, drinking beer. Saga was the one who suggested going out to Level 5.5, and he had agreed for lack of anything better to do and because the others seemed eager. "How did you find out?" he asks.

"Well, Chopper told me he's turning eight, but you said you were sixteen when he was born, which doesn't add up."

"No, I was sixteen when Alice got pregnant," Zoro corrects. "I turned seventeen on November, and Chopper was born a month later."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me," Sanji whines. "I love birthdays, connard."

"When's your birthday, Sanji?" Chopper asks curiously.

"March 2nd. You better plan an awesome birthday party for me, grass-head!"

"Aren't older people supposed to be more mature?" Zoro sighs. "And here I thought I got lucky dating a cougar."

"Shut the fuck up, marimo. You're not even that much younger."

They continue to banter lightly at home, especially when Zoro sees that Sanji has prepared enough food to feed a small army. Chopper reminds him that Luffy is coming to the party, so the food might not actually be enough.

While Sanji and Chopper are finishing the preparations in the kitchen, Zoro takes the time to do some exercise, taking advantage of Sanji's home gym. The cook surprised him with new weights a couple of days ago, a gift from Robin's husband, Franky. The lightest one weights two hundred pounds and he also created a rope that is strong enough that Zoro doesn't have to worry about it snapping when he uses it to tie barrels to his back when he does squats or push-ups. His heaviest weights are a ton each, and Franky had to reinforce the floor so they wouldn't break through it.

The doors to Koshiro's dojo don't open again until January 1st, and Zoro is itching to return to it. He can feel his swords shaking in anticipation, hardly able to wait the moment when they join Zoro in battle again.

Nami and Vivi are the first to arrive, and Zoro can see as the red-head's eyes practically turn into Beris signs as soon as she steps past the elevator doors. Even Vivi is impressed, and she's a goddamn princess.

Sanji gushes over them, acting like the perfect host and then some, offering everything but the skin off his back.

The next to arrive are Usopp and Kaya, and fifteen minutes after them, Luffy arrives with Ace and Marco.

"Sorry to intrude," Ace says politely, shaking Sanji's hand. "You have a beautiful home."

"Oh, well—thank you," Sanji says, surprised.

With his cargo shirts, faded white shirt, and floppy hat, Ace doesn't look like the type to be polite and well-mannered. Marco, on the other hand, just smiles serenely and nods at Sanji.

"Well, now that everyone is here, I guess we can start the decorating," Sanji says, nodding to the tall tree taking over the spot where a glass coffee table used to be. The three is big, standing just about three feet below the ceiling and wide enough to cover the painting of the ship and Sea King that Zoro likes.

"It's so pretty!" Luffy exclaims excitedly.

"Isn't it?" Sanji agrees, trying to hug. His arms aren't long enough to go all the way around, so he looks like an excitable little kid. "Chopper chose silver and white for the decorations, but I picked a couple of blue accents since it's my favorite color."

"We bought everything!" Chopper adds, so excited that he has transformed into his Brain Point. "Tinsel and lights, the tree skirt and the tree topper; we got all types of ornaments, and Sanji even made candy canes! And we have lace to make bows and glitter to spread all over."

"It's going to look so good!" Usopp cheers. "Man, Sanji, I didn't think you would go all out."

"I've never decorated a Christmas tree before," Sanji admits, ducking his head. He touches the green needles softly, and there is something in his expression that Zoro can't quite read. "We couldn't afford one when I was younger. And when I finally could, I lived alone, so there wasn't any point in getting a tree."

Zoro frowns, trying to figure out the expression on the cook's face. He doesn't know much about Sanji's past—he's actually surprised to hear the cook was poor at one time, even though he's almost positive Sanji has mentioned it before. He only knows that he went to New World and worked for Iva as an exotic dancer. He's an orphan, and was adopted by Zeff when he was young.

But that's all he knows. Sanji knows about Kuina and about Mihawk; he knows about Alice and Crocodile. He knows why Zoro started underground fighting. He doesn't know everything, but he knows the important stuff. But Zoro? Shit, he doesn't even know how Sanji met that Robin chick.

"Well, it's definatley going to take more than an hour to decorate this baby, so let's get started," Nami interrupts his trail of thought, her hands on her waist. "Let's unravel those LED lights, everybody!"

"You look like a little kid," Zoro whispers to Sanji as the others start unraveling the boxes of lights. They blink bright white when Ace plugs them in to test them out, making them look almost like jewels.

Sanji sticks his tongue out at him. "Shut up, marimo. I'm having fun," he shrugs, opening a box with silver garlands. He opens another one with thick strands of what looks like linen. "Do you know how to tie bows?" He sits down on the floor, legs crossed.

Zoro rolls his eyes and joins him, snatching the linen from him, copying the movements Sanji does to create a simple, yet elegant bow.

The girls have started circling the tree with the lights, making sure they are evenly spaced and that the cord is hidden. Luffy, Ace, and Marco have taken to the higher parts of the tree, since both Marco and Ace can fly and Luffy can stretch. Usopp and Chopper have taken out the garlands and ornaments and have lined them on the floor by color, probably to try and see how to best decorate the tree.

"So Ace and Luffy are brothers?" Sanji asks. He has taken strands of silver and going over the blue bows he has already done, adding a little color to the decorations.

"Yeah," Zoro nods. "They're not blood brothers, but they don't care. There's another one, Sabo, but he doesn't have as much free time as Ace and Luffy."

"Sabo? Sounds familiar," Sanji hums. "You can get a couple of the white ornaments and tie them at the center of the bows. It'll make them look better."

Zoro stands up and approaches Chopper and Usopp, who are busy admiring the ornaments. Sanji really did go all out. There are ornaments of every type, some that are make out tinted-glass, others that are a matte color, some shiny, and some frosted. Some are solid colors, others have designs on them, from snowflakes to snowmen. Others are clear, with little figurines inside. Some are round, some are oval, some are small, and some are big.

Each one is unique, and Zoro can't decide on which ones to get.

"Aren't these beautiful?" Chopper asks him happily, holding a clear ornament with a twinkling blue star inside

"They are."

"Luffy, stop playing around and finish up your section!" Nami yells from the ground. Vivi and Kaya are standing a couple of feet away from the tree, checking to make sure the tree looks good.

"But Nami, I can't find the little connection thingy!"

"Argh. Marco, please help him out," Nami sighs.

Zoro grabs a handful of white ornaments and returns to Sanji, who has now about a dozen bows laying around him.

"Ooh, those are perfect," he grins, picking up one as Zoro lays them softly on the ground.

"Sanji, how come you're house is so white?" Luffy asks from the top, torso elongated inhumanly.

"I like the color," Sanji shrugs, and Luffy only makes a humming noise.

"And what are all these little things you have here?"

"Stop messing around, Luffy," Ace scolds. "You're gonna break something."

"And I'm not paying for it" Marco adds.

"But look at this thing! Sanji, what is this?"

"A telescope. If you take out to the back patio, you can look at all the stars up close."

"Great! Usopp, c'mon!."

"Not today, Luffy!" Nami snaps. "We have to finish decorating the tree."

"But the lights are up!"

"We still need to add the garlands and tinsel," Vivi calls out.

"Not to mention all of the pretty bows Sanji and Zoro made," Kaya adds.

"Dude, those look amazing," Ace praises, fire dying out as he lands in front of Zoro, eyeing the bows appreciatively.

"Thanks," Sanji grins. "I didn't make too many, since it will make the tree look too tacky if there's a lot of them."

"With such good taste, I don't know how you ended up with Zoro," Nami says, sending Zoro a sneer.

"Fuck you, bitch."

"Don't call Nami that, you shithead!" Sanji snaps, sending a kick to his head.

Zoro curses as pain explodes behind his eyes. "Oi, fucker, that hurt!"

"Really? I thought you wouldn't feel anything with such a thick head."

"You're the one with the huge head, Megamind."

"What the fuck did you call me, you shitty moss?" Sanji accompanies the question with a kick aimed for Zoro's side.

He's more prepared this time, and he's able to stop the leg and wrap his arms around it, only receiving a fraction of the power it's supposed to have. It's still enough to hurt like hell, though. "Are you deaf now, fucktard?" He pushes the leg until it's pressed against Sanji's chest, the rest of his body still perfectly straight.

"No, I just didn't know you are so stupid as to go for Megamind, useless swordsman," Sanji snaps back, eyes widening when Zoro squeezes his thigh. Zoro grins, and Sanji seems to realize their position: bodies pressed from chest to thigh, his right leg hooked over Zoro's shoulder, the swordsman's crotch pressed against his.

"Oh fuck off!" Sanji barks. He pulls on the leg Zoro has trapped, just far enough so he can press the sole of his foot into the side of Zoro's face and send him slamming against the floor.

"Nami-swan! Let's put up the garlands!"

Zoro massages his face, but it doesn't hurt too badly. Sanji held back a lot of his strength—thank god, too, or Zoro would've lost a couple of teeth.

"Little ball of spitfire, isn't he?" Ace says wryly, helping him to his feet. "Luffy mentioned you guys argue a lot. Didn't think he meant this."

"He's an annoying brat," Zoro grunts. Sanji glances back at him from where he's helping Nami wrap the garland around the fucking huge tree, but turns back to her as soon as their eyes meet.

It takes them around an hour and a half to decorate the entire tree, and that's with all ten of them working seriously. By the time they're finished, it's dark outside, so Sanji dims the lights and plugs in the tree.

It looks beautiful. Mostly silver and white, with a few splashes of blue, the tree looks like it belongs in Neptune's royal courts.

"It's gorgeous," Nami whispers.

"And look at that view," Ace whistles, looking past the tree into the dark ocean.

Zoro still hasn't gotten used to the sight of it. It's huge, stretching out farther than he can see, and always so calm, it looks like a void of nothingness.

But not tonight. Tonight, the whole sea is glowing with an inner, blue light, making the usually dark water look a bright, electric blue. Each small wave lapping on the dark beach is lit up like sheets of lightning, bright blue stars seemingly dancing in the water. Above, the sky is moonless but starry, like a dark blue canvas painted with white snow.

The tree lights are suddenly turned off and the whole room is illuminated by the bright blue ocean. "It's a natural phenomenon called bioluminescence," Sanji explains softly. He's the one who turned off the tree, and now stands next to an oddly quiet Luffy. "These tiny, microscopic organisms react with the oxygen in the water to create light. I've only ever seen it happen farther out at sea."

Again, there is something in the cook's expression that Zoro can't read. It's like…like Sanji isn't there. Like he's far away, lost somewhere. His eyes are shining brighter than the ocean, his pale skin caressed by the blue light in such a way that he looks ethereal. He looks like at any moment, he will step out into the ocean to be swallowed by the small waves, never to been seen again.

He looks unattainably beautiful.

He looks terribly sad.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: This chapter hints at Sanji's dark past (we all know what it is, based on the manga). Anyway, I'm perhaps not the best person to judge if something is triggering or not since I personally don't have any triggers. There are allusions to starvation, depression, and suicidal thoughts. If you think I should add any specific tags to the story, please, please let me know. I'll still let you know if anything particular traumatic happens at the beginning of each chapter.**

* * *

He needs him. He needs his warmth, his touch, his voice. He needs him more than the jagged breath he draws in, more than the violent beating of his heart, more than the last fickle strands of sanity holding him together.

When he's with Zoro, there is nothing else. The man is overpowering, addictive, entirely too much. Zoro unravels him, thread by thread, and leaves him raw and open in the most delicious of ways. Zoro makes him feel, fills him up with emotions so alien and addictive that it leaves him breathless.

As soon as the door shuts behind them, Sanji kisses him desperately, surrendering control as soon as Zoro challenges him. He doesn't need it, he doesn't want it. Not tonight.

Zoro's hands are on his waist, his fingers digging into the taut skin painfully, and Sanji grips his upper arms, grounding himself with the feeling of something solid underneath his hands. The kiss is slow and sensual, and even though Sanji wishes for more, he doesn't demand it because Zoro is calling the shots here. Still, he groans into the kiss knowing that Zoro loves it when he makes such a noise. The hands on his waist move down to grip his ass in reward, the tips of his fingers digging into the cleft, a promise of more to come.

Sanji shivers.

Zoro pushes him back suddenly, making him stumble on the bed and fall, sprawled. Zoro quickly joins him, grinding down against him and kissing him deeply once more. Sanji hungrily chases his lips when Zoro pulls away, but the other man only gives him a fleeting graze of lips before his mouth is moving down to kiss his chest, his fingers working fast to unbutton his shirt.

"Undress me," Zoro murmurs, and Sanji scrambles to obey, swallowing thickly when he gets to see Zoro in all of his naked glory. Sanji loves the color of his skin, the dark shade such a contrast against his own. Zoro's body is littered with scars, each one more sensitive than the last. They scatter over his body like tears on a canvas, some twisted and gnarled, others so faint that Sanji can only tell they're there by the feeling of slightly raised skin.

It isn't until they're both naked that Sanji realizes he's hard, his cock flushed red and standing upright, balls tight, but Zoro isn't.

Sanji pushes him back, reversing their position, and kisses a trail down Zoro's chest—stopping only a moment to softly bite at the sensitive, rugged scar—until he feels the burning heat of Zoro's cock. He's glad to see the man is half-hard now, and quickly getting harder as Sanji studies him through lidded eyes.

Zoro is cut, the skin soft and tanned, nestled in curly green hair. He doesn't look that big, but Sanji knows from experience that he gets bigger—much bigger. He's nervous—he's never sucked off a guy before—but he wants to be good, so he just goes straight for it and wraps his lips around it, licking the velvety soft skin. Zoro is slightly bitter, with a more overpowering hint of steel, but as a chef, Sanji has tasted worse things.

Sanji is more concerned with the _feel_ of him: the unbelievably soft skin, the heavy weight of it on his tongue, the way it slowly hardens in his mouth, getting bigger and bigger until it can't fit in his mouth. He tries to remember what's been done to him. He wraps his hand tightly around the base of it and sucks on the head, getting it slickly wet with spit. He digs his tongue under the head, then runs his wet lips down the length of it. He kisses it and licks, getting himself used to the taste. It's not much about getting Zoro hard anymore, but simply as a way to make the other man feel good.

Zoro makes a soft sound, and Sanji looks up to see the swordsman looking down at him, eyes dark and mouth open. Very deliberately, Sanji sucks on the tip, hollowing his cheeks and digging his tongue into the soft underside. Zoro's body shakes and his head hits the bed, back arching as he tries to sink deeper into Sanji's mouth. Sanji lets him in a deep as he can before his gag reflex forces him to push Zoro down.

He pulls him out and wipes the excess spit across his arm. Zoro is breathing hard, his body shaking with slight tremors, and the image is burned into Sanji's mind.

"It's good," Zoro mumbles, moving a heavy hand to pat Sanji's head. "So good."

Getting his breathing to slow down again, he settles into a comfortable rhythm of getting as much as he can into his mouth and jacking off the rest with his hands. He makes sure his tongue presses on the thick vein on the underside, and groans when the head hits the back of his throat. He takes his cues from Zoro's grip on his hair; it's minimal, but Zoro tightens when something feels good, pulls on the strands when it doesn't. Sanji pulls back with a wet pop and leans down to press his lips where the head meets the shaft. He sucks around it like he does when smoking, and flattens his tongue to massage the sensitive bundle of nerves on the underside.

Zoro groans loudly, and Sanji's eyes flick to meet his. He can't help but grin at the shocked expression on the other's face, and moves down to give the same treatment to every inch, again paying especial attention to the thick vein. He moves his hands from Zoro's hips to his ass, squeezing the hard muscle, and pulling Zoro closer.

Zoro is leaking steadily now, and his cock glistens with it. The muscles of his lower stomach are shaking with exertion and he looks close to coming, so Sanji returns to the tip and swallows him whole.

"Fuck!" Zoro yells out, instantly biting on his lip before they wake Chopper up, forgetting that his son can't hear them. His hips keep bucking against Sanji, hitting the back of his throat, but he still doesn't fit entirely in the cook's mouth. Sanji feels his eyes water but is able to keep from gagging, so he repeats the motion again, trying to get him a little deeper each time.

Precum and spit are trailing down the sides of his mouth, running down his neck, but he barely notices. Zoro is fucking steadily into him now, his hands holding Sanji's head still as he fucks his mouth, testing the limits of his gag reflex.

Suddenly, Zoro pushes him off and tugs at him until they're face-to-face again and brings him in for a kiss. Zoro's cheeks are a cherry red, his brow bright with sweat, his hair a mess from running his fingers through it.

"So fucking amazing," Zoro praises, his hands running over every inch of skin he's able to touch. "So fucking gorgeous. Turn around for me, Sanji. On your knees."

Oh, now _that_ sounds wonderful. Sanji quickly obeys without giving a snappy reply, moving until he's on his hands and knees with his face pressed against the pillows and his legs spread wide. If Zoro is wondering why Sanji is being so uncharacteristically obedient, he doesn't voice it, and Sanji doesn't feel like explaining it.

He feels a hot hand rubbing his perineum and moans. His own cock hasn't been touched in all of this time, and he feels like he can come with the slightest graze. His breath hitches when Zoro's hand moves down, over his balls, and grips his cock, giving it a slow and slick tug. He moves his hips, taking his pleasure from Zoro's hand, but it's the feeling of something velvety soft and blunt sliding in the cleft of his ass that makes his body shudder deliciously. He moans brokenly when the thick head rubs against opening, but the swordsman doesn't thrust in—Sanji isn't prepped.

His limbs feel like putty, so he simply lets himself be manhandled as Zoro pulls his hips higher, then presses his hand on the middle of his back, forcing his chest down on the bed. Sanji tucks his arms underneath his chest, creating a nice little curve on his back, and Zoro makes a sound of approval.

Once he has Sanji in the position that he wants, Zoro's hands grip his ass and push the cheeks together until he can fuck into the tight passage. Zoro is rock hard, and every time his cock drags over Sanji's asshole, the muscles twitch and try to swallow him in. Sanji is getting close to coming, he feels so fucking turned on. He just needs a push, the smallest of push, just enough for the dam inside him to burst.

The grip on his ass loosens, and Zoro pulls back a little to wrap a hand around his cock and stroke himself. He presses the tip of his cock to the small of Sanji's back, and the cook shivers when he hears Zoro moan and something warm and wet slide down the length of his back.

It takes him a moment to realize that Zoro has come, and that the sticky wetness he feels following the natural line of his pine is Zoro's spent.

"Fuck," Zoro groans, and before Sanji can decide whether he's aroused or angry that the man came all over him, he feels a thick and wet finger push inside of him roughly.

 _"Merde!"_ Sanji gasps, shuddering at the sudden feeling of being spread. It hurts just a little—he's pretty sure Zoro is using his own come to slick the way—but Zoro is quick to find his prostrate and abuse it. Sanji bites down on the pillow hard as the sudden assault forces embarrassing sounds out of him. Zoro pulls out just for a moment—it feels like a lifetime to Sanji—and when he returns to push two fingers inside, he is much slicker. He probably grabbed the bottle of lube they keep in the bedside table.

The rough fingering get him to come soon enough, but Zoro only inserts a third finger inside the tightened muscles and keeps up the punishing pace. Sanji doesn't know whether he hates it or loves it, but it rids his mind of every thought and leaves him blissfully mindless. That's all he needs for tonight.

It takes Zoro pulling him up and on top of him to break him out of his stupor, and without preemptive—they're both too worked up again to act coy, too far gone to engage in any more foreplay—slams down on Zoro's cock and takes him all the way in.

"Fuck yes!" Zoro growls and Sanji cries out when the thick head jabs at his abused prostrate.

Zoro doesn't waste any time, quickly pushing up to fuck into Sanji and force more sounds out of him. Sanji immediately works to get his pleasure from the other man, working his hips against Zoro's. He raises his hips and slams down again, rolling his hips a little so that the blunt head inside of him can touch him just where he wants to. His hands are digging into Zoro's chest, his nails leaving little crescent moons of blood on the tan skin, but Zoro doesn't seem to care about the pain. The loud clapping of skin hitting skin and the lewd wet sounds of slick limbs aren't loud enough to drown out their pleasured cries, and Sanji doesn't even have the state of mind to thank the gods the walls are soundproof.

Suddenly, Zoro sits up completely, making supernovas burn behind Sanji's eyes as the cock inside hits a new angle. Like this, Zoro can't fuck up into him, but he makes up for it by grabbing Sanji's hips and slamming him down on his cock. Sanji's arms wrap desperately around Zoro's shoulders, his legs around his back, and bites down on the small juncture where neck becomes jaw to keep from screaming his head off. His knees are digging into Zoro's ribs, and he knows that's a sensitive spot for the swordsman, so he digs in harder.

Zoro comes first, his thrusts becoming wildly erratic as he unloads inside of him, muffling his groan of pleasure in Sanji's neck. Zoro continues to fuck into him as he milks his own orgasm until Sanji tips over the edge and comes.

He doesn't realize his gasping for breath until Zoro touches his face gently and meets his gaze.

"Sanji, are you okay?" he asks softly, his eyes concerned.

"I'm…fine," Sanji gasps, trying to get himself to calm down. All that he needs is to ride the soft glow still lingering in his mind and he'll be fine. Don't think, don't think, don't think. He's on overload right now, a thousand different emotions clamoring for attention inside of him right now, and he's so glad he could almost cry.

"I'll go get a towel to clean up."

Sanji can't really move, so Zoro maneuvers him until his laying on his side. He pulls the comforter from underneath him and throws it on the ground with their clothes. Sanji frowns, but can't muster enough energy to bitch; besides, Zoro will get lost trying to find the laundry room, even though it's just across the hall.

His room is bathed in eerie blue light, the ocean outside still electrified. He touches his stomach, but there's no debilitating hunger. He can hear running water, probably Zoro cleaning himself off.

He falls asleep before Zoro returns, and—thankfully—dreams of nothing.

In the morning, they drop off Chopper at Usopp's before going to work.

As soon as he steps inside the kitchen, he knows Zeff saw the sea, too. There are bags under his eyes and his insults fall a little flat. He pulls Sanji outside to ask him if he's okay, but he tells him he's fine. And the best thing is, he isn't lying. He did eat a little bit more than necessary during breakfast and he's a little sore and a little sleepy, but he's honestly fine.

Usually, when he sees a trigger, he tends to spiral out of control. It hasn't happened that often lately. The last time he had an episode, he was maybe eighteen…nineteen? He doesn't count the little episode he had in front of Zoro's apartment complex that night long ago, since he regained control pretty quickly. They used to happen all the time when he was a kid, and even Zeff couldn't do anything about them. He has a better control of it, he's learned the signs and has found ways of preventing them before they get to be too much.

He felt it yesterday. That hunger that claws at him, trying to crawl out of his throat and feed on everything it sees. It's terrifying. No matter how hard he tries, how much he reminds himself that he's no longer in that god forsaken rock, his body doesn't listen.

The first sign is pain. Deep and bone-crushing, it makes him feel like he's being buried alive. Then comes the hopelessness. The depressing thoughts telling him he's going to die, alone and hungry, and that no one will care. The third sign is the devastating hunger, eating away at his insides. It doesn't call for food—Sanji tried to satiate it that way once; he threw up for hours—but for everything that makes him who he is as a person.

Thoughts and emotions are eaten away, leaving him hollow and raw. Strand by strand, it make him feel as if he's going to disappear at any moment, destroyed by his own insides. He doesn't get nightmares, he doesn't feel fear. Those things are welcomed—anything is better than feeling nothing, feeling like he's hollowed out, void of reason and thought, empty of soul and existence.

It's a hunger that leaves him starving for his soul.

Usually, it takes days for the hunger to be satiated. He's left an empty shell after it happens, and it can take months for him to go back to normal.

But yesterday, Zoro kept that hunger away. He fed it all the pleasure, all the pain, all the smothering warmth that Zoro handed out so effortlessly him—and it had been enough. Just like before, when feeding Zoro and Chopper armed him with a purpose and kept the hunger away that night, Zoro keeps him from spiraling out of control.

He knows Zoro felt that something was off from the moment he kissed him last night. He knows because Zoro was the one who ushered everyone out of the house, the one who put Chopper to bed and made sure he was asleep. He knows because Zoro doesn't ask any questions, doesn't demand anything from him. He's just there for him, unconditionally.

When Zoro comes in to pick up a plate for one of his customers, Sanji kisses him.

"What was that about?" Zoro asks once Sanji pulls back.

"Don't complain," Sanji says, turning back to the beef fillet he still needs to smoke. He wonders if adding raw beets will add the flavor it needs. "Just thank my benevolence and be glad someone like me is willing to kiss you, marimo."

Zoro pulls him around and kisses him, hard and demanding, until Sanji opens his mouth and lets the swordsman lick at the roof of his mouth.

"Thanks," he says, grabs his plate and walks out.

Sanji stares after him, shocked, until the other cooks start laughing.

"God, Sanji, you're so whipped!" Jessica laughs from where she's preparing a smoked salmon.

"Hey, did you see that huge bite on Zoro's neck?" Patty grins, waggling his eyebrows. "Someone got lucky yesterday."

"Oi, Sanji, if you're hungry, just make a sandwich or something," Carne sniggers. "No need to eat your boyfriend."

"I'm sure Zoro likes being 'eaten'," Jenny adds, sly smile in place.

Zeff cuts in before Sanji can go off on the guys. "Go back to work, idiots!" he snaps. Sanji snickers, but it dies as soon as Zeff continues. "This wasn't what I meant when I told you to eat your vegetables, Eggplant."

The cooks burst out in loud laughter, and even the poor dishwasher boy looks like he's torn between laughing and crying.

"Shut up, you shitty old geezer!" Sanji yells, throwing out a kick to the closest cook. Carne squeals in pain, rubbing at his head.

There are a couple of more jokes, but it soon gets too busy. They have a couple of last minute cancellations, but they instantly get filled in with walk-ins.

It's so busy, that Sanji can't leave with Zoro when his shift ends. He hands the keys of his BMW to the swordsman and tells him to come pick him up at closing time.

Jenny is the one who reminds him about the Black Boxes. Jessica was the one who brought the idea of having a box for each server so that the customers could leave messages. It's supposed to help with identifying their weaknesses and strengths as customer service workers, but Sanji thinks it's just another way for customers to whine.

But since his sweet Jessica was the one who suggested it, Sanji complied. So now, they hold a meeting on the first of every month to check the boxes and talk about what they can do better and stuff. Sanji honestly doesn't care.

Since Sanji took the day off yesterday, they moved the meeting to today. Most of the morning shift workers start arriving a couple of minutes before closing, and only Zoro and Ever are late.

Sanji is helping Kamakiri put up the chairs when a high-pitched voice yells his name and he turns to see Chopper running towards him in that cute raccoon-like form Sanji likes.

"Sanji, Sanji! Can we have the Christmas party at home? Luffy thinks it would be a great idea because you're the best cook ever and our tree is so pretty, so all of the presents would look better underneath it, and it would make it look so much cooler. And everyone thinks it's a great idea, except Dad, but Nami said that I can still ask you because it's your house, and you're nice. And Usopp said that if you still said no that I can always pull out the birthday card since my birthday is on Christmas Eve, so please, Sanji, please can we have the Christmas party at home? Please?"

Sanji blinks, trying to process everything that just came out of Chopper's mouth. Zoro is standing behind him, looking like he would rather have the ground swallow him, and all of the other workers are looking at Chopper like they can't believe their eyes.

The first thing that register is the fact that Chopper called his house 'home'. Then everything else clicks in.

"Of course we can, Chopper," he says, smiling.

Chopper cheers and transforms back into his human form in excitement. "And can we have cotton candy?"

"Sure, buddy."

"You're the best!" Chopper does a little victory dance that is the cutest thing Sanji has ever seen.

"Alright, bud, calm down," Zoro, the heartless bastard, says. "What do you say now?"

"Thank you, Sanji!"

"You're welcome, Chopper."

"Is this your son, Zoro?" Rebecca asks, her eyes on Chopper.

"Yes, this is Chopper. Say hi to Rebecca, Chopper."

"Hi, Rebecca!"

"Hello, Chopper," Rebecca says, looking like Christmas came early.

Soon, everyone is saying hello to the little boy, praising him when they find out he's starting college in January. Abi and Kamakiri ask if Zoro is sure Chopper is his, since the kid is so cute and Zoro so damn ugly, but the marimo only glares in response.

Porche, in particular, falls in love with Chopper's chibi form, but Chopper ends up sitting on Rebecca's lap as Sanji starts the meeting.

He starts off with Abi, who doesn't have that many 'suggestions' in her box. There's a snotty customer that says she should let her hair grow longer, and another one that complains that the meat had blood—Abi rolls her eyes and says the guy ordered it rare. Most of the little notes are praise, however, and leave the girl in a much better mode.

Next is Rebecca. Most of her complaints come from women saying she's too flirty with their husbands. Most of her praise comes from said husbands trying to pick her up. Sanji sees red and tells her that if any more guys make a pass on her, she's allowed to throw them out. He would do it himself, but he hasn't been staying for the evening shift lately.

Kamakiri doesn't get that many complaints this month, at least compared to November. Jerry is split right the middle with eight complaints and eight praises.

Zoro, however, has over twenty slips on his box, definitely more than a guy who has only been working for two weeks should have.

"I can already imagine these," Sanji laughs, picking up the first one. " _My food was cold because the waiter spent fifteen minutes trying to get to my table. He walked past me four times_. Oh my god, that's priceless!" Sanji cackles.

"I saw that!" Abi grins. "She didn't leave you a tip, did she?"

"No. She's the one who kept moving her table!" Zoro snaps and Sanji laughs harder.

"Alright, alright. Next one. _You have a pretty nice ass_. Clearly, whoever wrote this has deep, psychological problems," Sanji says, throwing it away.

"Fuck you, cook."

"Zoro, you shouldn't curse in front of Chopper!" Rebecca snaps, but the boy only rolls his eyes.

"I have heard it all," he sighs.

"Get to the next one," Kamakiri says.

" _569-658-5698. Call me_." Sanji rolls his eyes and picks the next one. " _I would complain that I was given the wrong plate, then again, you're so fucking hot I honestly can't remember what I ordered_."

"Are all of those pick-up lines?" Jerry laughs, reaching out for one. "Y _ou look like a hard worker. I have an opening you can fill_. Oh my god!"

"Wait, let me read one," Muret says, getting one before Sanji can stop her. " _You left me soaked. No, I know you didn't spill anything on me._ "

Soon, everyone is reading out the bad pick-up lines, including the girls, to Sanji's horror.

 _"I know why they call it a beaver, 'cause I'm craving some of your wood."_

 _"I think everything would look good on you. Even me."_

 _"I'm a gymnast. 569-586-2675."_

 _"I really wanna see if the curtains match the drapes."_

"Okay, that's enough," Zoro interrupts, glancing at Chopper meaningfully.

"I guess this is why you're getting such good tips on section D," Rebecca giggles.

"Oi, look at this one: _Hey waiter, I can give more than just the tip_."

"Alright, let's move on to the next box," Sanji says, rolling his eyes.

"Jealous, Sanji?" Abi grins.

"As if! They're only hitting on the shitty moss because I stay in the back all of the time."

"If you stepped outside everyone would run screaming from that weird eyebrow."

"Eh? Say that to my face, you shitty swordsman!" Sanji yells.

"C'mon, we don't have time for you guys," Muret snaps. "Some of us want to get home."

"Of course, Muret dear!"

It takes them a little longer to finish up, and by the time they're done, Chopper has fallen asleep in Rebecca's arm and she grudgingly hands him off to Zoro. Sanji doesn't want to admit it, but when Zoro wraps his arms around his son and gently kisses his hairy forehead, it's the most adorable things he's ever seen.

Sanji is preparing dinner when Chopper comes to ask him for a ride to the University a couple of days later.

"Wapo is letting the Isshi-20 do a conference!" Chopper says excitedly. "Kobato booked us a seat!"

"Okay, just let me turn off the oven and I'll take you," Sanji says. Zoro is probably off in the gym training, or dozing off in the patio. "Go and grab your stuff and make sure to grab your father's phone so you can call us when you're done."

"Okay!"

He finds Zoro doing weights in the patio and takes a moment to admire his profile as he works out, before letting him know that he's taking Chopper to the University. Most likely, the boy will spend the night with Kobato, since these things tend to run late. He trusts the girl more ever since Robin ran a background check on her and nothing bad turned up.

It takes him maybe an hour to get Chopper to the University and then get back home. It's already starting to get dark out by the time he gets back, so he's surprise to see Nami's and Ace's cars parked behind his two other cars, blocking their way out. At least, they left his empty space open.

He can hear voices the closer he gets to the living room, but he steps into the kitchen first to pick up the mess he left before leaving with Chopper. He's surprised to see most of it already put up, except for a few pans and ingredients that are put in the wrong spot.

Zoro most likely tried to help him. He smiles even as he moves the sugar from the second pantry to the first, where he keeps all of his baking supplies.

In the living room, he finds the usual group plus Ace and Marco.

"Sanji! Hey, did you bring meat?" Luffy greets, looking around him as if he's hiding the meat somewhere.

"Nice to see you, too, Luffy," he says wryly.

"Sorry to burst in, Sanji," Ace says politely, smacking Luffy in the arm.

"Oh that's fine," Sanji shrugs. He turns to Zoro, who is sitting next to Kaya. "Chopper said he'll stay with Kobato until we get off work tomorrow."

Zoro only hums, his eyes on the TV Sanji installed after they moved in and Chopper asked to see his usual cartoons.

"That's great!" Usopp says, perking up. "Now you have no excuse not to come with us."

He sees Nami send Usopp a glare from the corner of his eye, and tries not to react. It's clear she doesn't want him to come. Since the beginning, all of Zoro's friends have been civil towards him, but they don't really act like they accept him. He feels like he's walking on eggshells, trying to please them all and only failing. It's clear that they think he's a good person, but he can't help but think that they don't think he and Zoro belong together.

Well, except for Luffy.

"Fine," Zoro sighs. "You and Kaya can ride with us, since Nami's car isn't all that big."

"You can take the car if you want, but I don't feel like going," Sanji says, sick feeling getting worse when he sees Nami smile. Vivi gives her girlfriend a stern look and the red-head quickly wipes it off her face, but not quick enough. Sanji's poker face would put Zoro's to shame, though.

"Eh? Aren't you always complaining we don't go out on dates?" Zoro complains.

Sanji snaps. "Fuck you," he growls, throwing the keys at his face. Zoro catches them, but Sanji is already heading back to the kitchen, seething. Zoro makes it sound like hanging out with him is a goddamn hassle. If he doesn't want to be with Sanji, nobody is forcing him. They don't have to go out together all the time—Zoro can hang out with his friends alone and Sanji…well, Law is busy. And Kid is probably at work.

Fuck, Sanji can stay in his bed and watch Toy Story 3. For the thirteenth time.

Shit, why is he getting so upset? He tries to muddle through the mess that are his emotions, until he finds the answer. Oh yes: he's running on overload right now, still a bit sensitive from the barely-prevented episode; almost forgot about that. He scowls at his kitchen counter for lack of anything better to do and decides to start on a marjolaine cake. It's pretty late, and the dish takes several hours to prepare, but he needs to be on auto mode right now. Watching a movie would leave him a lot of time to think, the last thing he wants to do right now.

Zoro has probably already left. He doesn't hear voices anymore, but then again, his house is pretty well insulated.

He starts pulling out ingredients, separating them by what he'll need first. Almonds, powder sugar, eggs, granulated sugar, milk, some unbleached flour, hazelnuts. Does he have praline powder? Yes, but maybe not enough. He should probably go get some. Is he missing anything else? He's low in paprika, but he won't need it for this recipe. He needs some more food coloring, some white pepper, and there's only one bag of brown sugar left. He definatley needs to go get some of that.

Zoro is leaning by the entrance, watching him. Sanji startles and almost drops the note where he wrote his impromptu grocery list.

"Shitty moss, you surprised me," he snaps. "What are you still doing here?"

"What are you talking about? It's the first time in weeks we have the house to ourselves. I'm not going out when I have all I need right here."

Is he talking about sex? Is that all Zoro is looking for in him? Maybe that's what Zoro means when he says he like Sanji. Maybe Sanji is just convenient—he's willing to give everything to Zoro, from his money to his body. Shit, not, he shouldn't be thinking like this. Zoro likes him…doesn't he? Or are Nami and the others right not to trust their relationship? Are they really not compatible?

It's not wise to think about things like this so close to one of his episodes, even if he did manage to keep it from getting too bad. His mind is already swimming with dark thoughts, scrutinizing his relationship with Zoro at a time like this will only cause him to do something he regrets. Too many of his past relationships have ended because of this.

"You look like you're giving yourself a headache," Zoro murmurs. "Are you okay, cook?"

Fuck, he's being ridiculous. The fact that this is holiday season is only making things worse. Going through Christmases, birthday parties, and other holidays alone is not the healthiest way to live. He was practically touch-starved when he met Zoro. And besides, Zoro isn't the kind of person who would only date someone for what they give him. He has to trust in the fact that Zoro likes him.

"I'm fine," he sighs, not meeting the swordsman's eyes. "Where are the others?"

Zoro shrugs. "They might still be in the living room. I told them I wasn't going if you're staying."

Sanji feels a tug in his heart, then imagines what Nami could be thinking right now, and winces.

"Do you want to go?" he asks hesitantly.

Again, Zoro shrugs. "Better than staying in the house all night and baking a—what exactly were you about to do?"

"Doesn't matter," he sighs. "C'mon. I'll go."

The others are still waiting for them, so they all leave together. Sanji is a little annoyed when he hears they're going to Level 5.5, and it only gets worse when they arrive and he sees Nami wave Saga over.

"Saga! What are you doing here?" she exclaims. Did she invite him over thinking Sanji wouldn't come? Does she think Saga is a better match for Zoro?

"Trying to get laid," Saga laughs, and everyone but Sanji—and Luffy, who's gone off on his own to look for some Bon-chan character—joins in.

They grab seats near the stage, even though the last thing Sanji wants to do is watch men dance around on poles. Usopp and Nami leave to grab their drinks.

Saga, of course, knows Ace and Marco, so they all start reminiscing and whatnot. Sanji crosses his legs and lights a cigarette, trying to look like he doesn't give a fuck about the fact that everyone seems to be hanging off Saga's every word. Stupid, fancy New World professor.

He's distracted by the sight of a man wearing ladies panties—that in itself isn't that surprising, considering they're in Level 5.5—but that man just happens to be one Eustass Kid.

"Oh my fucking god!" he laughs and he knows he looks like a little kid on Christmas morning, but this is really the best thing that could have happened to him. "Are those fucking dog ears?" Because yes, Kid is walking around in pink panties with black fishnets, six-inch stiletto heels—and dog ears.

"Shut the fuck up, Sanji Black!" Kid yells as he approaches him, face as pink as his panties.

Sanji is laughing so hard he thinks he might pee himself. "Oh my god. Oh my god, this is the fucking greatest. Where's Bonney. Does she know? Did she take pictures?"

"Yeah, she did. She also has pictures of you as a bunny!"

That stops the laughter. "Don't fuck around, Kid."

"Excuse me, did I hear you say bunny?" Ace asks, leaning his head in as if trying to hear better. Zoro looks like someone just told him Mihawk is outside, looking for a fight. Great time for them to start paying attention to him, really.

"Oh yes. White mid-thigh stiletto boots, black garter belt, white panties, and a cute little bow around the neck," Kid says viciously, glaring at Sanji. "Oh, and did I forget? Big, floppy bunny ears and a tail."

"Shut your liar mouth, Eustass!" Sanji demands, blushing. "That never happened."

"Oh, I have pictures, Sanji sweetie."

"Bonney."

The only woman vicious enough to date Eustass Kid is standing before him, dressed in a cute pink mini dress with a black bodice. She has black ankle strap heels that are a bit shorter than her husband's, and her pink hair is tied in a loose ponytail. Her lips, like always, are painted to form a pink heart.

"Hi, Jewelry Bonney," she greets the others, smiling widely. "I'm this hottie's girlfriend."

"Yeah, yeah…I think you said you had pictures of Sanji?" Zoro asks, glaring at the woman suspiciously.

"Ah, you must be the new beau," Bonney grins.

"Bonney, no," Sanji begs, moving to stand up, but Zoro wraps his arms around him in a tight hug and Ace immediately jumps to sit on his lap and stop his legs from kicking the marimo.

"Stay still, Sanji," Ace grins. "I wanna see these pictures."

"Like hell!" Sanji shouts, but damn it, Ace is stronger than he looks.

"I am also interested," Vivi cuts in shyly, and Kaya nods her head rapidly in agreement.

"Vivi," Sanji whines, because no, ladies shouldn't see his shameful past.

"Well, I can't say no to such a cute face," Bonney says, smiling at Vivi.

Shit, Sanji forgot Bonney's bi, and as weak around cute women as Sanji.

"Bonney, please, I promise I will do anything you want for a whole year!" Sanji begs desperately, but Bonney is already pulling out her phone. The stupid thing is one of those huge tablet-looking phones, the ones that look ridiculous when pressed against your ear, but it takes amazing pictures. Sanji remembers that cursed phone so well.

"Let me see," she grins, swiping through her albums. "Thank god I did that backup, right sweetie?"

"Yeah," Kid grins, glancing at Sanji, who is still trying to buck off Ace.

"Aha! Lookie, isn't he the cutest?"

The others—including Saga, what the hell—all crowd around Sanji, Zoro, and Ace since Bonney has the phone facing them. Oh god, he looks horrible.

He's sitting on a black love seat in what he remembers as the back room in Kamabakka. He's wearing white panties with a tiny black bow at the top underneath a black garter belt. He remembers begging for that one, since it was the only one that had a lace skirt that at least covered his junk a little bit. He's not wearing the heel boots or the ears, only the panties, garter belt, and thigh highs. His legs are pressed close together and his hands are covering his crotch while he glares at a laughing Kid that's trying to take a picture of him. Now he knows he was just the distraction.

"Nice legs-yoi," Marco compliments.

"Right?" Zoro whispers.

He's gonna kill that shitty moss. Zeff will have to visit him in prison every time he wants to kick his face in.

Bonney swipes left, and it gets worse.

Sanji is standing up this time, glaring off to the side. The glare is somewhat diminished by the fact that he's wearing large bunny ears, and one of them flopped over to cover his face. He's wearing the stiletto boots now—which he has to admit, make his legs look amazing—and is pointing at his stomach. He remembers Kid telling him that he looks cute, and yelling back that how can he look cute with a freaking six pack. Panties are meant to be worn by smooth, curvy women—not ripped, muscled men.

Ace whistles long and Vivi swallows hard.

"Oh my," Kaya murmurs.

Bonney swipes again.

This picture is of his profile. He has a more serious look on his face, though he looks ridiculous with the bunny ears. He has his black bow tie on, too, wrapped tightly around his neck, and black dress cuffs around his wrists. He's doing a quad-stretch, his left leg pulled back until his heel touches his butt, his balance perfectly steady as he stands only on his right leg.

Because he's still wearing the stiletto boots, his ass looks extra perky, drawing immediate attention to the small bunny tail on it.

"Is that Sanji?" Nami gasps, arriving with Usopp and their drinks. The long-nosed man is staring at the picture with comically wide eyes and a bright blush.

"Isn't he gorgeous?" Bonney grins.

"Do you have any of him bending over?" Vivi asks suddenly.

"Vivi!" Sanji exclaims.

"Do you?" Nami asks, setting the glass shots on the table. Zoro reaches for one and swallows it thickly, his grip around Sanji's waist tightening when he feels the cook shift.

"No," Bonney sighs. "But I have a better one," she adds, perking up.

She swipes again and Sanji almost knocks Ace off with how hard he bucks.

This is one is a little darker, since Sanji is now on stage and the lights are off. The camera flash is bright, though, so he's in perfect detail in the picture.

He's in the middle of the walkway, crouching in front of one of the poles. His right arm is wrapped the pole behind him, his legs are spread wide open, and his left hand is touching a trail up his thigh. Bonney is standing higher than Sanji in the picture, so it doesn't show much detail around his crotch, but it gives a perfect shot of his face.

He has his fake-arousal face on, the one where he's looking up towards the ceiling, his eyes shut and his lower lip bitten.

"Oh." Marco lets out a shuddering breath and Ace only nods in agreement.

"You look totally constipated," Zoro says flatly.

"Ta gueule!" Sanji snaps. "I was pissed! I don't like wearing lingerie!"

"But you look so cute in it, Sanji," Kaya argues.

"Women look cute in it," Sanji says back, trying not to snap at sweet Kaya. "I look buff and ridiculous."

"Oh, you wanna see cute?" Bonney glares. "I'll show you cute." She takes her phone back and swipes through a couple of pictures until she finds the one she wants. She turns the phone around and presents it like a lawyer might present Exhibit A.

Sanji is standing with his side to the camera, with the camera angled from his right. It's clearly after the show, because Sanji is no longer wearing the cuffs, bow, or heels. He still has the garter belt and thigh highs, though, and his ears are firmly placed on his head. He's leaning over the bar, talking to Kid, and the camera caught him mid-laugh. He's resting his right knee on the bar stool, but he is stretching his left leg out.

What makes the picture cute, though, is that Sanji is wearing what is clearly Kid's dress shirt, because it fits him a couple of sizes too big (he used to be lanky back then, so what). The sleeves cover his hands, and the shirt would've covered his panties, too, if the shirt hadn't caught on his tail and rested, balled up, on his waist. He's pulling on the tip of his ears, clearly making fun of them to Kid, who's only half-way in the picture.

"Send me that one," Zoro says suddenly, startling Sanji.

"Like hell she will!" Sanji snarls, and finally bucks hard enough that he knocks Ace on the ground. "Erase them. Bonney!"

"Shit," Bonney gulps and takes of running, Sanji hot in her trail. He chases her to the back rooms, past some talking dancers, and into the makeup room.

"Sanji, sweetie, even if you erase them on my phone, they're backed up to my computer," she says, holding her hands up, placating.

"They you won't mind erasing them from your phone," Sanji says—he definitely doesn't snap at a woman.

"Just erase them, Bonney," Kid, who followed them, sighs. "It'll make him feel better."

"I don't know why you're so upset," Bonney grumbles, but shows Sanji as she deletes the pictures. "Your marimo loved them."

"That's not the point. You know I hated working here," he says, taking the glass of whiskey Kid offers him.

"It wasn't that bad, Sanji," Kid shrugs. "You were a no-touch worker. You never did any lap dances, you never even walked the floor. You just danced on stage."

"Yeah, at least you weren't put in the private rooms."

Sanji shudders just thinking about it. The private rooms are held behind the stage, and anyone with enough cash can buy time in them with a worker of their choice. Inside private rooms, everything from simple dancing to full on fucking is acceptable.

Sanji and Kid had been one of the few workers who were out of bounds for customers, though Iva had tried to convince them to give it a try more than once, especially after a particular customer offered five thousand Beri for a night with Sanji.

But Sanji isn't that fucking cheap, and he doesn't sleep with guys—except Zoro. So far, he's the only guy he's ever been attracted to—so he always said no.

"I guess," Sanji finally answers. "But this whole thing was still messed up. I hated dressing up."

"I actually like it," Kid shrugs. "They're comfy as hell. Of course, I would prefer it if only Bonney got to see it, but I get paid good money to walk around in these."

Sanji refills his glass with more whiskey. Yeah, the lingerie is pretty comfortable, and if he's being completely honest with himself, he likes the way Zoro reacted towards it. But his time working with Iva was like hell for him, and he has too many bad memories from that time. He's very thankful that Ivankov forced him to spar with him after his dancing lessons, because he's sure things would have been much worse for him if he didn't know how to defend himself back then. The foundations of his fighting style came from Zeff—as did his flexibility and strength—but Robin and Iva were the ones who trained him into the dangerous fighter he is today.

Sanji spends a little more time talking with Bonney and Kid, taking the opportunity to catch up with them. Once Bonney gets called outside (she's the head of security) Kid reveals to him that he's planning on asking her to marry him.

"Killer already help me pick the ring and everything," Kid admits.

"Dude, that's great!" Sanji exclaims, clapping him in the back. "Bonney is great. You guys are great together!"

"So you think she's gonna say yes?"

Sanji laughs and smacks him in the back of the head playfully. "You two have been dating for like six years. I'm actually surprised she hasn't askedyou to marry her."

Kid snorts and downs the last of his whiskey. "I'm pretty sure the only reason she hasn't is because her sister Lola is always asking guys to marry her, and she doesn't want do the same."

"Wait, is Lola still doing that?"

"Yeah! Though I think she's dating someone now—I was paying attention when Bonney talked about it."

"Kid, Iva says he's not paying you to sit on your pretty ass!" a pretty girl snaps, poking her head inside the room. "You have a request!" She sticks her tongue out and slams the door shut.

"You do requests now?" Sanji asked, surprise, and finishes the last drags of his whiskey before he follows Kid out.

"Just private dances and shit," Kid shrugs. "I'm gonna need more money for a wedding—and the honeymoon. I was thinking I could do lap dances, too, since they pay so much. But that's only if I can manage to keep from getting nauseous at the thought."

"Well hey, I'll help you out with the catering," Sanji suggests. "You can take it as your wedding gift from me, Zoro, and Chopper."

"Dude, you're a fucking life-saver!" Kid exclaims, hugging him. "Do you know how much Bonney eats? That's like twenty-thousand Beris right there!"

"I remember," Sanji says, smirking. "I'll take care of it."

"That'll be great! I really owe you big…." Kid's voice dies off and his eyes take a faraway look, staring somewhere behind Sanji.

Sanji frowns and waves a hand in front of his friend's face, and Kid startles. He suddenly looks very guilty, and Sanji doesn't know why until Kid nods at something behind him. Still confused, Sanji turns.

And his heart stops.

He gasps in a rattling breath and pinches himself, but he doesn't wake up. Because he isn't dreaming, and Zoro really is sitting there, kissing someone else.

It's not even Saga, but some random dancer with too-tight spandex shorts and body glitter. The man is sitting on Zoro's lap, his arms wrapped around Zoro's neck, and they're kissing. Sanji can't see Zoro's face, but the green hair and tan skin is unmistakable. Zoro's hands are on the man's ass, squeezing and rubbing him even as the kiss turns filthy.

"Sanji," Kid says behind him, but Sanji ignores him.

Zoro is kissing someone else. Zoro is…cheating on him? The thought is almost ridiculous in its painfulness. Never did Sanji think Zoro would ever cheat on him. Maybe break up with him, then date someone else, but not full-on cheat.

Zoro doesn't do that. He's too honorable, too proud, too—.

The couple stand up, and Sanji eyes widen when he sees the dancer lead Zoro towards the back, where the private rooms are. Sanji sees Zoro grin—is him, his face, his eyes, his mouth; it really is Zoro—and follow the other man.

"Sanji!"

"I n-need to go," Sanji grits out, his lungs screaming at him for air. Why isn't he breathing? He needs to breathe. No, he needs to get out of here before his confusion fades. There are only two possible outcomes from this: either he'll crash and fall victim to the hunger Zoro held at bay, or he'll get pissed as all hell and do something he'll regret. Like destroy Iva's club. Or kick the shit out of Zoro and that shitty dancer.

"I need to go," he repeats to himself, realizing he hasn't moved. As soon as he's able to draw in a satisfying breath, he pushes past Kid and hurries out of the club. Everything—the flashing lights, the loud music, the stink of sweat, beer, and sex—is closing in on him. The confusion is already starting to recede, and he can feel his limbs burning—but he's not too sure whether it's anger or something much worse.

How could Zoro do something like that? Why would he do something like that? It doesn't make any sense at all! Even if he didn't like Sanji anymore, he never thought Zoro would cheat. Zoro breaking up with him was always an option, but never infidelity. It doesn't make sense.

Or maybe, he just trusted Zoro too much.

He's been cheated on before—women are wonderful beings, but even they can take advantage of a person who lays their heart down to be stomped on—but it has never hurt so much. Maybe it's because cheating was always a possibility in those relationships. He loved every girl he ever dated, but he trusted very few of them.

He may not love Zoro—he likes him; he really, really likes him—but he trusts him more than it's reasonable. Well, trusted. Zoro sure as hell blew all that to hell.

He doesn't realize he's driving well past the speeding limit until he arrives home at a fraction of the usual time. He doesn't even know why he drove home. Is he going to kick Zoro out?

Shit, Sanji made Zoro quit his job. He made him stay with him. Zoro is tied to Sanji way more than Sanji is tied to him, and it isn't until this moment that Sanji realizes what he's done.

He's made Zoro completely dependent on him.

Fuck, why the fuck would he do that? Is he really so insecure that he had to tie Zoro to him to feel safe in their relationship? Did he really have to burrow his way inside so many facets of the other man's life? His job, his home, Chopper's tuition—everything is tied to Sanji.

Holy shit. What is he going to do? Fire Zoro? Stop helping Chopper? What will Zoro do if Sanji leaves him with no job or home?

He's sure Zoro can stay with one of his friends until he finds a new home, but what about a job? He doesn't feel right firing Zoro—the man is a good server, and he doesn't get scared easily by the other chefs—but he can't imagine having to share his safe-haven with the man who broke his heart.

Shit! Fucking shit! What is he going to do!?

It isn't until he feels his phone vibrating in his pocket that he realizes it's ringing. Frowning, he realizes he has Zoro's phone on him, and the message is from his own phone.

It's probably Chopper. Sanji remembers telling the little kid to take his father's phone in case he needed something—they probably got mixed up somewhere in the car ride. Should he read it?

Of course. Chopper has nothing to do with what happened, and Sanji won't leave the little kid simply because his father is a fucking cheating bastard. He rubs the bridge of his nose and opens the message.

For the second time that day, his heart stops.

It's a picture message. In it, Sanji can clearly see Chopper sitting on a wooden chair—blindfolded and tied down, his mouth taped shut.

 **You should take better care of your son,** reads the caption.

The text is clearly meant for Zoro, and the swordsman only has one enemy strong enough to kidnap Chopper when Sanji has CP9 Agents watching over the child.

He needs to call Robin.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: So I know you are all ready to rip Zoro a new one, so this chapter is his POV. Also, I'm not very good at action scenes, so I kind of rushed through this...I just didn't want to mess it up by going into extreme detail.**

* * *

Zoro hasn't been able to find Sanji since he left chasing the pink-haired woman. He really needs to find her, if he wants a copy of those pictures.

"He probably already erased them," Ace tells him. The firefighter has been trialing him in his search for the blonde, and Zoro is pretty sure it's because Ace wants a copy of those pictures, too. Where the hell is Marco when you need him?

"Hey, isn't that hottie his friend?" Ace says, and Zoro turns around to see the same red-head he saw dancing with Sanji a while ago walking towards him.

He immediately knows something is wrong, but before he can ask if Sanji is okay, the red-head punches him in the face. Zoro tastes blood in his mouth as he hits the floor, hard. God fucking damn it! That fucking hurts!

"Whoa! What the hell is your problem?" Ace snaps, pushing the red-head away—Zoro thinks his name is Kid or something like that—before he can punch Zoro again.

"You're fucking dead, grass-head!" Kid snarls, pushing against Ace. "I'm gonna fucking kill you!" The guy looks completely serious, despite the panties and floppy dog ears.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Zoro growls, getting to his feet. He stumbles a little bit—damn, that metal arm of his sure packs a punch—and feels his cheek throbbing like crazy. He's going to get some ugly swelling, and Chopper will probably give him hell about it. His son hates it when he gets injured.

"What is wrong with me? What the fuck is wrong with you!?" Kid exclaims angrily. He finally pushes Ace off him, but he doesn't attack Zoro again. Maybe it's because of the crowd they've attracted.

"Kid, what the hell are you doing?" the pink-haired girl from before—Bonney?—snaps, parting the crowd to get to her boyfriend. "You can't hit the clients!"

"Fucking piece of shit, that's what he is!" Kid says. "He fucking cheated on Sanji!"

"What!?" Zoro isn't the only one to exclaim the word, and Bonney suddenly looks like she wants to rip his head off, too.

"Don't 'what' me, asshole!" Kid continues, shaking in his anger. "You were fucking making out with that bastard Jordan and then you disappeared off into the private rooms. How could you do that to Sanji?!"

"I didn't do anything!" Zoro exclaims desperately. What is this man talking about? And where the hell is Sanji?

"We saw you!"

"No, you couldn't have," Ace interrupts before Zoro can punch Kid for being a fucking liar. "Because Zoro hasn't left my side since we got here. And he hasn't kissed anybody."

"Then who the fuck was the guy sucking face with Jordan, huh?" Kid demands. "Because unless you have a twin brother, Sanji just saw you cheating on him."

"Where's Sanji?" Zoro asks quickly, worry starting to gnaw at him now that he's beginning to understand the situation.

"He left, obviously!"

"Zoro, wait!"

Zoro doesn't listen, pushing past Ace to get to the exit. He needs to talk to Sanji. He doesn't know who the fuck it was Sanji and Kid saw, but it wasn't him. He would never cheat on the blonde. Not only because it goes against his ethics, but because the very idea seems ridiculous.

Why the fuck would he cheat on Sanji when the guy is the fucking perfect package? It honestly makes more sense that Sanji would cheat on him.

He needs to talk to Sanji. He has to fix this mess. He can't let Sanji go another second thinking Zoro cheated on him.

It takes him a minute to realize he doesn't know where he is. The streets are dark and he can see a couple of cars parked on the other side of the street, but even the loud music of the club has died down. Shit, he doesn't even have a car. Sanji was his ride, and the cook already left. He doesn't even know where Sanji went.

There are some options, like his home or the Baratie, but he suddenly realizes he doesn't know much else about the cook. What if he went with Robin? Where does Robin live? Who is she, even? He knows Sanji works with her—used to work?—and worked with her husband, so he might have gone with them. There's also that doctor that helped them out with the Amiudake. Sanji said they were friends, but he doesn't know how close they are. He didn't even know Sanji and Kid were friends—and apparently close enough for Kid to want to kill him for thinking he cheated on Sanji.

He knows nothing about Sanji.

"Zoro!" The shout startles him, and he turns around to see Luffy, Ace, and Usopp running towards him.

"Where are you going?" Luffy asks while Usopp tries to catch his breath.

"I was trying to go after the cook," Zoro says, realizing how stupid he sounds as soon as the words leave his mouth. "But I have no idea where he might have gone."

"Why don't you call him?"

Shit. That's so obvious, he wants to punch himself. The throbbing on his face stops him from actually doing it. "I don't have my phone. Luffy, let me get yours."

"Usopp has it!"

"He always loses it," Usopp explains, taking out the phone from his back pocket. It rings before he can pass it to Zoro, and they're all surprised to see Zoro's name flash across the caller I.D.

Zoro frowns, knowing Chopper took his phone before he left with Kobato. Maybe he wants him to pick him up? But why wouldn't he call Sanji first? Shit—maybe he did and the blonde rejected him. If Sanji thinks Zoro cheated on him, will he throw them out?

Suddenly very apprehensive, he answers the phone. "Hello?"

 _"Zoro?"_

"Sanji!? Hey, listen, I need to talk to you—."

 _"527 Nim Street. Meet me there."_

"What—." The line dies before Zoro can get another word in.

"That was Sanji? What did he want?" Ace asks curiously.

"He gave me an address. Told me to meet him there," Zoro says, confused. The whole exchange was weird as fuck. And Sanji sounded weird, too. Not angry, more like...curt?

"What address?"

"Um…527 Nim Street."

"That's in Alabasta!" Luffy exclaims happily. "It's like, four hours away."

"Why would Sanji tell you to meet him there?" Usopp asks curiously.

"I don't know…but something's not right," Zoro murmurs. "Can one of you give me a ride there?"

"Yeah, I'll do it," Ace says quickly. "But I need to go tell Marco. C'mon, the others were looking for you, too."

They quickly find the others, who took off in the opposite direction trying to find Zoro. It turns out he didn't go too far away from the club, but he had been going back towards East Blue, instead of Joha. Once Zoro explains what happened, they agree with him that the whole thing with Sanji sounds strange. For some weird reason, Nami insists in coming with them and Vivi backs it up.

"I know exactly how to get there," Vivi says. "It's in the bad side of town, Zoro. I don't know why Sanji would tell you to go there, but that place is dangerous. Nim Street is in Erumalu, one of the older cities now in ruins. Almost no rain falls there, so it's been taken over by thugs and ruffians—nothing good ever happens there."

That only gets Luffy fired up, so in the end, it's Nami and Vivi who give him a ride to Alabasta, with Usopp and Luffy going along for the ride. Kaya has work in the morning, so Ace and Marco decide to stay behind and give her a ride home.

Zoro tries to meditate through the long drive, knowing that if he lets himself think, he's only going to worry about Sanji. He's never heard the cook sound so…cold. Not even when they first met and Zoro stole food from him.

He tries calling Sanji back, but it goes straight to voicemail. He even calls Chopper, since his son's voice always help him relax—unless the kid is in a tantrum, which does happen every once in a while—but it goes to voicemail, too. He's not too worried, though. It's pretty late, and Chopper is probably already asleep.

Once they get to the edge of Erumalu, the asphalt street turns to sand. Vivi had made them stop at one of the gas stations farther back to buy water bottles, and Zoro is suddenly glad for it, since it seems Nami is going to make them walk the rest of the way.

"Like hell am I driving through there," she snaps. "My car is gonna get all dusty."

Walking, however, is hell. Not only is it extremely cold—the desert is always cold during the night, not to mention it's mid-December—but it's completely dry as well. Vivi makes them keep the water bottles close to their bodies to keep them from freezing, and they're only allowed to drink when it's absolutely necessary.

It takes them about forty minutes to find Nim Street. The sign is faded, and most of the wooden houses have been knocked down by the strong wind. There's absolutely no one around, and Zoro thinks that has nothing to do with the lateness of the hour, but with the complete decrepit state of the town. It looks like the last time anybody lived here was in the 1400s or something. How in the hell does Luffy even know this place? With Vivi, it makes sense since she's the Princess of this country, but even Zoro didn't know this place existed and he comes to Alabasta once a month to pay Crocodile.

Why the hell did Sanji call him here?

527 Nim Street is the only building that still has all four walls—and a visible address. They huddle close in front of the wooden door, and after a moment of hesitation, Zoro knocks.

Nothing happens, so Zoro knocks again.

They all jump back as a slate opens at eye level—Zoro didn't even notice it—and a pair of brown eyes look back at them.

"Name?"

"Uh…Roronoa Zoro…?"

The slate slams close again, and Zoro only gets the chance to share a confused look with Nami, before the door slams open and they're all dragged in.

The room is completely empty but for the man standing in front of them. He's dressed all in black, a machine gun in his hands. His face is hidden by a black mask and thick goggles, but his voice is still recognizable when he speaks.

"Down the stairs," he says, and it isn't until he nods to them that Zoro sees the hole in the ground where stairs lead down.

"What is going on here?" Zoro demands, not moving a muscle. Nami grips Luffy's shirt to keep him from bouncing down the stairs, like the man ordered. "Where's Sanji?"

"Down the stairs," the man repeats, no infliction in his voice.

"Listen here, you asshole—."

"We have to go down the stairs!" Luffy exclaims excitedly. "It's an adventure."

"Luffy! What if it's a trap?" Usopp yelps fearfully. "I think I'm coming down with I-can't-go-down-the-creepy-stairs-disease!"

"It'll be fun."

"Down the stairs," the man repeats, and Zoro gives in. He has no idea what is going on, but he at least trusts Sanji enough not to lead him wrong. Unless Sanji is fucking pissed at him and is planning to kill him 'down the stairs'.

He's confident, however, that the cook won't win in a fight against him. Yeah, he's stronger, but Zoro already proved who the better fighter is. Sanji makes himself to vulnerable by refusing to fight with his hands.

Still, he hopes they can talk things out before it comes down to a fight. He rather not hurt the blonde.

As they walk down the stairs, the walls begin to change. They switch from rotting wood, to packed sand, and then to steel. When they reach the bottom, they are stopped yet again by a door, this time made of reinforced steel.

When Zoro knocks, the sound echoes, and the metal slate opens much quicker.

"Name?"

"Roronoa Zoro."

The doors open again, and warm air rushes out. They quickly walk through the door, if only to get near the warmth. Zoro sighs happily when the feeling returns to his toes and fingertips, and it takes him a while to realize that the room is entirely made out of concrete and steel. There are five men, all dressed in the same black uniform, standing in front of the five passages extending from the room.

"Follow me," one of the men says, and this time, Zoro doesn't argue. The bad feeling in the pit of his stomach gets worse as the follow the man. The passage has multiple openings, and Zoro gets a view into the different rooms inside what he now realizes is an underground base. He sees more of the same men, all heavily armed. There is a room filled with guns and explosive, another one bare except for a few boxes creates, their contents hidden with tan tarps.

The man leads them to yet another steel door, but this one is bolted to the wall and reinforced with a metal slate over each edge. The man types in a quick sequence in the small digital pad on the left, then presses his thumb to the screen. The three dark bulbs above the wall turn green, and the door opens.

Nami gasps at the security room. The room is brightly lit, empty but for the dozen of screens that cover the far wall and the panel underneath it. There are four men seated behind the large table facing the screens, but none of them turn around or give any indication that they heard Zoro and his friends walk in.

"That's Rain Dinners," Vivi murmurs, and Zoro nods.

He recognizes the imagines inside the screens. They cover every inch of Rain Dinners, the hotel Crocodile owns. It's where Zoro goes every month to pay his fee, and where he met Robin for the first time. The sound of the steel door closing startles him, and the hairs in the back of his neck stand on edge when he hears a distinct feminine chuckle.

"Hello again, Mr. Roronoa."

"Robin," Zoro growls, glaring at the woman. He still doesn't like her, despite Sanji reassuring him that they're friends. His whole body is screaming at him to distrust this woman, and he can't comprehend how Sanji can stand being around her.

"Ah, I see you brought Princess Vivi with you—and friends," Robin says, her voice friendly. But Zoro has learned not to trust her voice. It's the eyes you have to watch out for, and Robin's eyes are cold. They stop briefly on Luffy, then return to him. "I'm glad to see you made it here alright."

He really doubts that. He can feel her killing intent from where he's standing, and part of him worries that she thinks Zoro cheated on Sanji, too. Maybe the blonde told her and Robin planned all of this. Maybe Zoro just walked in on a trap, leading all of his friends to their doom. He's not sure whether he can defeat Robin in a fight, though he's confident he and Luffy can take care of every other person in this base.

"Where's Sanji?" Zoro asks, crossing his arms and scowling. He only succeeds in amusing her, and his pride gets a blow. But he's smart, and he knows not to anger the lady that can very well kill him with a spoken word.

"Ah yes. I seem to have lost sight of him," Robin says, her eyes turning to the screens behind them. Zoro turns, too, trying to see if Sanji is in one of the screens. "Oh well. I'm sure he's fine."

"What's going on?" Nami asks suddenly, her shoulders straight despite her wavering voice. "Who are you? Why did Sanji tell us to come here?"

"Well, he asked Zoro to come here," Robin corrects politely. "I don't think he expected for all of you to follow along. But if I'm correct, then you must be Miss Nami. And Usopp. And Monkey D. Luffy. And how could I not recognize Princess Nefertari Vivi."

"Hey, you know my name!" Luffy grins. "Do I know you?"

"You'll remember soon enough," Robin says mysteriously.

"I'm seriously getting pissed off here," Zoro growls. "Just tell me what the fuck is going on!"

"Very well," Robin says simply, and walks past them to stand closer to the images. "Five hours ago, Sanji received a text message with this picture attached to it."

To Zoro's horror, one of the screens changes to the image of Chopper tied down to a chair, blindfolded and gagged.

"Chopper!" he shouts, and he isn't the only one. Even Luffy has lost the goofy smile, his anger palpable. But it's nothing compared to the fury inside Zoro. "What did you to him, you bitch!?" he snarls, rushing to attack. But before he can do so, he's knocked down to his knees, his hands pushed back and locked into immobilization.

"Aargh!" Usopp yells in fear, and Zoro swallows hard when he realizes he's being held down by bodiless arms. They sprout from his own body and the ground, all of them holding him down.

"Please, wait to hear the entire explanation," Robin says, and two arms sprout from Zoro's shoulders and force him to face her. She looks entirely unconcerned, except for the crossed arms.

Devil's Fruit User, his mind uselessly provides.

"When Sanji received this text message, he immediately realized Crocodile had kidnapped your son," Robin continues, and the image changes to a room in Rain Dinners again. "The men protecting your son were killed, but they did manage to send the coordinates to Chopper's location before their demise. Those coordinates lead to Rain Dinners. Luckily, we have been able to infiltrate their security feed and we have eyes on the ground as well. Sanji entered the hotel about an hour ago to try and track down your son. He's the one providing the new camera feeds."

She points to the few blank screens on the far right. The hands holding Zoro's face turn him, and he sees one of the screens flicker to life to reveal Sanji's face. The blonde frowns at the image then leans back to reveal a dark hallway. He puts out his cigarette, then brings a black radio to his lips.

From Robin's waist, where a similar radio is strapped, comes Sanji's voice.

"How's it looking, Robin?"

"Sanji!" Zoro exclaims, but Sanji seems not to have heard him.

Robin smirks and pulls out the radio. A hand covers Zoro's mouth, then she holds down a button on the side of the radio and speaks. "Perfect, Sanji. Have you tracked down Chopper's location?"

Sanji's scowls and looks somewhere off screen. "No. I've only come across three guards, and they all had cyanide pills. Have you gotten enough evidence to bring everything down?"

"Oh, not quite yet," Robin says. "Mr. 0 is a slippery one. But thankfully, it seems like our contingency plan will be able to help us out," she adds, smiling down at Zoro.

"Ah." Sanji's expression darkens, and he takes out another cigarette. Zoro can tell he's angry by the quick flick of his wrist, the way he rolls his cigarette between his teeth before he lights it. "Zoro, are you listening?"

"Sanji, what is going on?" Zoro asks as soon as the hand on his mouth disappears, leaving only behind the smell of flowers. "Where is Chopper? What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for Chopper," Sanji says curtly. "I need you to speak to Crocodile, Zoro."

"Wait, what? I need to be out there, looking for my son!" he exclaims angrily. He tries to get loose from the hands, but only more appear and hold him down. "Tell her to fucking let me go, cook!"

"I'll make sure Chopper stays safe, Zoro," Sanji says, ignoring his demand. "But if you want Crocodile to be sent to Impel Down, you need to get him to admit he kidnapped your son. That's all Robin needs to put him away."

"I don't care about that bastard! I want my son! Fucking let me g—mmff!" Again, Robin's hand covers his mouth and muffle his words. He sees a flash of movement from his right, but Nami doesn't even get close to Robin before she, too, is being held down by bodiless arms.

"He looks very unwilling to cooperate," Robin tells Sanji. "And he's brought friends with him. You didn't tell me he was so well connected, Sanji."

"Ah, yes. I apologize for that, my dear Robin. He does tend to be a bit stubborn, but he can listen to reason. I'm sure Vivi will make him see sense."

"That's not what I meant. But I understand. Good luck." Robin silences her radio, and Sanji disappears from sight, walking down the darkened hall.

At once, the hands holding Nami and Zoro down disappear, but before Zoro can rush forward and break Robin's neck, he's stopped again. This time, by Luffy.

"You need to listen to Sanji, Zoro."

"Luffy, what the hell?" Zoro growls. "I need to rescue my son!"

"Sanji is doing that," Luffy says. He looks serious, and that is enough to hold Zoro back and make him listen. "He'll take care of Chopper. And once Croc is down, we can beat him up!"

"Do you trust this woman?" Nami exclaims angrily, pointing at Robin.

"Yes. Robin's great," Luffy says, smiling at the dark-haired woman. "I remember now."

Robin returns the smile, and it looks strangely sincere. "I'm happy to hear that, Luffy. And as soon as we hear Mr. 0 admit his hand in Chopper's kidnapping, you can definitely beat him up."

"Yosh. So Zoro, what do you say?"

Zoro knows to listen to Luffy when he gets that serious aura around him. He trusts Luffy with his life—and he trusts Sanji as well. If the cook says he'll rescue Chopper, then Zoro has to believe that he will. And he really wants to see Luffy beating the hell out of Crocodile. Besides, he has a feeling that he's not getting out of this room unless he agrees with the plan. He can always sneak away as soon as he gets Crocodile to confess—it shouldn't be that hard.

"Alright," Zoro gives in. "What's the plan?"

It's surprisingly easy how quickly he can discard any distraction when he's in this type of mindset. It's been a while since he worked a full-blown mission, and he's surprised by the small feeling of nostalgia. He never realized how much he likes this.

Sanji rolls his eyes as he looks down at the two guards. They're talking about the baseball game that aired last Saturday, and it looks like they're about to get into an argument. Sanji personally agrees with the one with all the acne scars—it's not unfair that Elbaf giants get to participate. If you're too weak to play against giants, how can you call yourself a professional team?—but he's not here to talk sports. He waits another minute, trying to make sure no one is close around to hear him take these two out, before he drops down and quickly knocks both of them out with well-placed kicks. He's glad Robin doesn't need any more camera feeds; it takes too long to set them up.

He briefly wonders if Zoro is already inside the hotel, talking to Crocodile. He hasn't heard anything from Robin, but radio silence is always good news. She won't call him unless it's absolutely necessary since she doesn't want to give his position away in case someone is close enough to hear.

He's pretty sure he's closer to where they keep Chopper, the gradually increasing number of guards a dead giveaway. It's either that, or they have noticed his infiltration and raised a silent alarm. He hopes it's the former; he's getting tired of knocking out the weakly Billions.

He hears the sound of thudding feet around the corner, and he quickly plasters himself against the wall, straining to hear any news.

"…pissed off. Mr. 2 still hasn't…kid killer. I have my own kids, you know….safer down here. It's a massacre up…"

Ah. So Robin already sent in the dogs. He's pretty sure Lucci was allowed to go loose, if the men are talking about a massacre upstairs. And these two probably know where Chopper is, if the tidbit about kid-killing says anything.

He can hear the footsteps growing fainter, so he quickly turns the corner. There are three men—he's surprised, he thought there were only two—walking away from him. None of them hear him, so he's able to knock two of them out before the third one reacts.

This man is clearly stronger than the other two, but he's hardly a challenge for Sanji. He finds it more difficult to keep him from swallowing down the cyanide pill than actually defeating him, but a foot pressing down on his throat is enough to keep the carrot-haired man from killing himself.

"I can't believe you're making me do this," Sanji mutters, looking down at the choking man. He hesitates, but the image of the bound Chopper quickly gets him to pry the man's mouth open and dig around until he can grab the false tooth containing the lethal poison. "Ugh, gross," Sanji gags, wiping his fingers on the man's jacket. He looks around, but the other two man are too far away to be of any help, so with another annoyed sigh, he takes off his tie and gags the man with it.

Then, very deliberately, he moves his free foot down until he can step on the side of the man's knee. He sees realization in the dark eyes before he presses down—the muffled scream and the snap of bone is enough to tell him he shattered the man's patella bone. It's not too much damage—the man will be able to walk away if he's not afraid of pain—but it's enough to let the man know he's serious.

"I'm going to ask you some questions, and I need you to be completely honest with me," Sanji says clearly, looking at the man's eyes. He sees some defiance, but he's not too worried. He knows for a fact that the reason these men swallow down the suicide pills is because they cannot handle torture. "I'm going to move my foot away now. Don't scream."

He waits until the man nods, but as soon as the pressure on his throat lessens, the man screams. Immediately, Sanji presses down and cuts him off. With slight pressure of his foot, he dislocates the man's shoulder. He's being nice right now, but if the man doesn't talk soon, he's going to have to bring out the big guns.

"Now, we can do this all night," Sanji says, tapping the shoulder again and sending a shudder of pain through the man. "I just need you to answer one little question: where's the kid?"

He lessens the pressure again, and this time the man doesn't scream. He gasps for breath for a few precious second, then very gingerly, talks. "Down…three halls…blue…d-door."

"Thank you very much. You're service was much appreciated," Sanji says primly, then knocks him out.

So he's close. And this man was tough—compared to the others at least. He's pretty sure Crocodile at least has a number agent guarding Chopper. Sanji doubts anyone but Mr. 0 can put up a challenge, but he's pretty sure Zoro and Robin are taking care of him. He sighs and hopes he can at least fight Mr. 1.

He briefly wonders who Daz Bones is as an agent, before he remembers Zoro kissing that dancer, and quickly wipes the thought away. This is about Chopper, not Zoro. He and Zoro aren't a thing anymore. He needs to stop thinking about him so much.

He walks down until he passes three halls and sure enough, there's the blue door. And two men guarding it. They both look up at the sight of him, and Sanji only stops when two guns are pointed at him.

"Who are you?" one of them exclaims. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you talking about? Didn't they tell you I was coming?" Sanji says, feigning confusion. "They need all of you upstairs! Cipher Pol is attacking!"

The two man give each other a glance, but that's enough for Sanji to make his move. With a silent burst of speed, he breaches the few feet between them—a gunshot rings out, but Sanji doesn't get hit, having dropped to the floor to knock the two off their feet. He kicks one of them in the face—he's not too sure whether the guy is dead or not—and the other one gets stomped in the chest. Sanji hears bone break, but the door slams open before he can finish off the guy.

He feels a sharp stab of pain on his side, and he quickly moves back before whatever stabbed him can get any deeper.

"Oh my, what a handsome man."

Shit. Not a woman. Fucking shit.

"And what are gorgeous woman you are as well," Sanji answers politely, studying the blue-haired woman. His eyes wonder down her shapely body, body warming at the sight of her naked navel. Damn, she's hot. But she's also a Baroque's Agent, and the only thing standing between him and Chopper.

How is he going to get out of this one?

"Mr. Prince, I take it?" the woman asks, leaning against the door frame, her hip jutting out sensually. "Now, what does a man as powerful as you want with such an unfortunate family?"

"I could ask the same of you, mademoiselle. Such a beautiful woman hardly seems to fit inside this horrid little gang."

The woman's eyes narrow. "We're more than a gang. You have no idea who you're messing with, do you?"

"Baroque Works. Nothing much, really," Sanji shrugs, turning on his radio with a quick tap. The beautiful woman seems not to notice. "A group of thugs working under a corrupt man. A man now under the custody of the World Government."

"Ah, another Government dog!"

"Isn't that what they call your master, my dear?"

Sanji is just barely fast enough to evade the spike that impales where his head used to be. He twists away from the second attack, which forces the woman into the perfect opening—but he doesn't attack.

He will never hit a woman.

She, of course, has no such concerns, and she continues to attack him. She clearly has the upper hand, not only because Sanji will not go into the offensive, but because her powers allow her to turn her entire body into a weapon. And in the narrow hall, Sanji can't always avoid getting hit.

"Goodness! What a perfect gentleman," she says, giving Sanji a break. "You won't raise a hand against me?"

"A real man does not harm women," Sanji replies breathlessly. He's been able to keep most wounds superficial, but she did get him pretty good on the side the first time, and breathing is starting to hurt. "I do thank you for the brief respite. It's nice to see such a beautiful body without all the spikes."

"You little—."

Sanji turns around as soon as he sees the first hand bloom. The sound of breaking bones it's the only thing he hears, before a loud thud tells him the woman is dead.

"I apologize for the wait," Robin's voice comes from the radio in his pocket. "It took me a while to find you."

"You were perfect, Robin-chwan," Sanji praises. "How's the upstairs?"

"Mr. Roronoa is a violent man, Sanji."

"Ah," Sanji steps over the dead boy and opens the door. The room is bare except for Chopper and the chair where he's tied. The bastards have put a fucking bag over his head, but he can see the little boy's trembling body, so he knows he's alive. "Can you clean him up a bit? I rather Chopper not see him in a bad light."

"I'm sure I can work something out. Is he safe?"

"Yes," Sanji says, smiling. "I'm coming up."

"Take the back door. The décor isn't all to pretty up front."

"Roger that."

Sanji turns off the radio and approaches the little boy slowly. Chopper jerks away when Sanji touches him. When he takes off the bag, Sanji is pissed to see that they taped a pair of headphones to the boy's head so he wouldn't hear anything. A quick look through one of the unconscious men's belongings gets him a knife that quickly cuts through the tape.

"Chopper, it's me, Sanji," he says as soon as the headphones are off. He quickly takes off the blindfold and Chopper's wide eyes find him. He sees them quickly fill up with tears and the boy hugs him tightly once Sanji frees his hands.

"You're okay now, Chopper," Sanji promises, hugging him back. "I'm here. You're okay. Shh. Everything's okay." He continues to comfort the kid until time presses him to continue working the rest of the ropes off. He waits to take off the tape over his mouth last, not wanting to hurt him—but it's necessary.

"This is going to hurt a bit," Sanji wars, holding the corner of the tape. "But I'll be quick. Ready?"

Chopper takes a deep breath through his nose, then nods. Quickly, Sanji tears off the tape, leaving a red mark behind. Chopper lets out a small whimper, but he looks stubbornly at Sanji, forcing himself not to cry out.

"It was…nothing!" he finally exclaims bravely, despite the fat tears rolling down his cheeks.

"That's right," Sanji praises. Chopper lets himself be carried easily and wraps his legs and arms around Sanji. He can feel his shirt getting damp with tears, but he doesn't even care. He's just so glad Chopper is fine.

He presses Chopper's face into his chest to keep the little boy from seeing the dead bodies outside of the door, and he tries to keep away from halls where he knows he left behind dead guards. He recalls the blueprints of the hotel Robin had him check out before sending him in, and he's quickly able to find the back doors.

Outside, the sound of sirens is loud. Sanji can see a couple of firetrucks near, but most of the parking space is taken over by ambulances. Most of the people around are civilians, probably people that were in the hotel when CP9 rushed in. He doesn't see anyone wearing the familiar CP9 uniform, though he's sure they're around. They don't like calling attention to themselves, but they never leave a scene before it's completely wrapped up.

"Chopper!"

The scream is definitely feminine, and Sanji quickly traces it to Nami. Zoro, sitting next to her in the back of an ambulance, quickly looks up. His eyes meet Sanji for a moment, before they fall on the huddled figure in his arms. He's up and running towards him before Sanji can blink.

"Chopper!" Zoro exclaims, taking him from Sanji. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"Daddy," Chopper cries, hugging Zoro just as tightly as he did Sanji. "I'm fine. I'm really fine."

"Shit, I'm so glad," Zoro exhales. "Fuck, I'm sorry, Chopper. I'm so sorry. Fuck."

Sanji leaves the pair alone. Neither of them notice him walking away, too concerned about each other. Sanji just wants to go home and licks his wounds, but Robin catches him before he can leave the area.

"You should get that checked out."

"It's just a couple of scratches," Sanji shrugs. "I'll be fine."

"I'll send you an email with today's briefing. We only managed to capture six number agents, so five are still in the run, and I need you to be informed."

Sanji nods, and quickly leaves. It still hurts to breathe, but he's sure he doesn't have any broken ribs. She must have pierced a muscle close to his lungs—but she definitely didn't go in far enough to puncture his lung. He remembers how that feels, and this is nothing like it.

He parked his car five streets away from Rain Dinners, far enough that no one noticed him climbing out of it, but too far to be kind to his wound. He lays his torn jacket on the seat before he climbs on. It's very hard to explain the stains of blood to the cleaning crew.

He has to stop at a gas station to pick up ace bandages and gauze, which he uses to stop the bleeding of the biggest wounds. He's not too worried about any of them—no need to call Law—but he's definatley going to have to check them and make sure they don't get infected.

It's morning when he gets home, well past the Baratie's opening hour. He called Zeff before he left last night, though, so the man knows why he's absent. He takes a shower to clean his body of the dried blood, then takes out one of the few black towels he bought a couple of years ago when he got tired of ruining his pretty white ones. After he's dried, he takes out the large first aid kit he keeps under the second kit and starts patching himself up. He needs stitches in a couple of the wounds, and he has to do some serious twisting around to get to a few on his back, but he manages to make them look okay. They're not as perfect as Law's, but at least he's not going to get any heavy scarring like Zoro—shit he did it again.

It is really so fucking hard to go an hour without thinking of the other man?

He takes out his phone to check the time, the curses at loud when he realizes he still has Zoro's phone. Shit. Well, it's not like he can avoid Zoro forever. They live together. Zoro's clothes are in his closet, Chopper's stuff is in the other room. Zoro's swords case is leaning against the wall next to the bed.

He needs to think about what's going to happen in the future. He definitely can't allow for Zoro to stay with him. And he's sure Zoro's pride will prevent him from getting any help from Sanji, so the other man will probably quit the Baratie whether Sanji wants him to or not.

Maybe, he can find Zoro another job. A recommendation from the Baratie will open doors to any of the restaurants around the area. He won't get tipped as well in there, but he will get paid a salary. And he doesn't have to worry about paying Crocodile anymore.

But he can think about all of this later. He's hungry, he's tired, and he still needs to check Robin's email.

He makes himself a cup of oatmeal with berries and quinoa, then brings it back to his bedroom. He sits cross-legged on the bed and turns on his computer. He checks out some of his older messages first. He has a couple emails from the bank asking about his sudden expenses—he didn't spend much on Zoro and Chopper, but the bank is bound to be worried when Sanji starts purchasing things that aren't kitchen supplies or suits—and a few others from cooking magazines asking for an interview. He turns those down, since Zeff doesn't like appearing on them, no matter how good they are for advertising the Baratie.

Finally, after deleting most of his inbox, he opens Robin's encrypted email.

It only takes about twenty minutes for his program to decrypt it—he and Robin have their own code, outside of CP9's—and he finishes his breakfast during that time.

The email shows the report Robin is required to send back to Marine HQ. It has all of the evidence Sanji managed to get—keeping his name out of it, of course—and the recording Zoro took of Crocodile admitting Chopper's kidnap.

There's a file attached that shows the name of the agents that were captured, the ones that were killed, and the ones that are still missing. Sanji is glad that the whole organization is broken, though he feels bad that Chopper's kidnapping is what brought it on. But this was the first time Crocodile attacked someone that wasn't afraid of snitching to the Marines—it really was a sloppy mistake, since Crocodile knew that Zoro was protected by Robin.

Sanji reads the information about the five missing agents: Mr. 1, Mr. 3, Mr. 7, Mr. 9, and Mr. 13. His eyes narrow when he sees the picture labeled 'Daz Bones', showing a large man with a shaved head. Mr. 1. This is the man that dated Chopper's mom. This is the man who got Zoro involved with Crocodile.

He quickly reads over the other files, and frowns when he comes to the one labeled The Unluckies.

It takes a moment for it to click—if there are thirteen number agents, and only six were captured, then how come there are only five marked as missing?

He opens the last folder, which holds the information for the last two remaining members.

Mr. 8, also known as Igaram, was a double agent for King Cobra, and the captain of the Royal Guard.

Mr. 2, Bon Kurei, was Robin's inside man. Sanji studies the man. He looks so familiar—and it isn't just the make-up, though that does remind him of—shit, of course! Bon Kurei is the man that works with Ivankov, Luffy's friend! If he works with Iva, then he's obviously part of the Revolutionary Army as well.

Shit, he can't believe he didn't know Bon worked for Robin. Well, she does keep a few secrets from him, but not that many. He must have been in pretty deep for Robin to keep his name from Sanji. He curiously looks over the file, and his eyes widen when he reads about the man's Devil's Fruit.

The Clone-Clone Fruit allows the user to change his appearance to that of the person he touches with his right hand. It not only changes physical appearance, but also abilities and voice. It is impossible to tell the Clone from the real person. The Fruit's real power lies in the ability to 'remember' the person it has touched, so no matter how much time has passed, the user can still turn into that person.

It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together. It actually makes a lot of sense.

Of course Crocodile knew about Sanji. He knew that Zoro had someone tied to Robin, and he tried to take care of him. He also knew that none of his number agents were strong enough to take Sanji out, so he did the next best thing: he made Sanji take himself out.

By having Bon turn into Zoro, he made Sanji think the other man was cheating on him. If Sanji thought Zoro had cheated on him, then he wouldn't help out when they all found out Chopper had been kidnapped.

It was a perfect plan. If, you know, Sanji were a heartless bastard.

Crocodile never took into account that Sanji would still go rescue Chopper even while thinking Zoro had cheated on him. Nor would he ever think that the message would get to him first, not Zoro.

He flops back on the bed and allows himself a smile. Holy shit, he owes so much to Robin. Not only did she kick-start his relationship with Zoro, but she also saved it. This is why women are so much better than men.

He only allows himself a quick minute of praise for Robin before his mind turns to Zoro. Zoro, who did not cheat on him. Zoro…who he left alone.

Fuck! He quickly sits up, ignoring the sharp sting of pain, and dials his own number from Zoro's phone. He feels weird holding a flip-phone to his ear and resolves to buy Zoro a new phone. And maybe Chopper, too.

"Hello?"

"Chopper? How are you?" Sanji asks quickly, feeling a little guilty that he left the kid alone.

"Sanji! I'm great! Where did you go? You just suddenly disappeared!"

"I know, I'm sorry," Sanji says, already expecting Chopper's chiding when he sees the stitch work he did. "I'm home actually. Where are you?"

"We're at Nami's! Robin gave us a ride home—she's super nice, Sanji!"

"She is," Sanji agrees. He winces a little as he rubs his chest, and quickly spits out the next question. "Is your father around?"

"Hmm? Oh, Dad's asleep. The doctor gave him some sleeping pills because he kept pulling on his bandages. He said he'll sleep for most of the day."

Damn. That means Sanji won't get to talk to him until later on tonight. He knows Zoro already knows Sanji thought he had cheated on him. Zoro had wanted to talk to him when he called him and told him to head to Nim Street—they're going to need a new base in Alabasta by the way, now that the Princess knows the location of that one—but Sanji had cut him off.

He grins, thinking of how happy Zoro is gonna be when he finds out Sanji knows what really happened. They can't even blame Bon, since he had to obey Crocodile to keep up appearances.

"Do you want me to try and wake him up?"

"No, that's fine!" Sanji says quickly. "Just tell him I'm looking forward to seeing you guys tonight."

"Okay. Bye, Sanji!"

"Bye, Chopper."

Sanji hangs up and smiles. He should really buy Robin a bouquet of flowers.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hi, peeps! So this chapter will finally go into Sanji's past...it's definitely the heaviest chapter I've written so far, at least in the emotional spectrum. I'm unfortunately not very kind to Sanji, but it'll hopeful clear up some of the things that didn't make sense before.**  
 **Warnings:**  
 **Childhood Trauma, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Prejudice, Suicidal Thoughts, Cannibalism, Heavy Angst**

* * *

Sanji decides to take a leaf out of Zoro's book and sleeps through most of the day. He did stay up through the night and that, coupled with the empty feeling left behind after the night's adrenaline fades, lulls him into a heavy sleep.

Hunger wakes him up before dark and, after checking his bandages to make sure he didn't start bleeding again, he heads to the kitchen to make himself something light to eat. He doesn't feel like putting on a shirt when it's only going to scratch his wounds, so he brings up the central heat and decides to stay bare-chested and barefoot.

He's almost done making himself a sandwich—not everything a cook makes has to be fancy—when he hears the elevator doors open. Only Zeff and Zoro have copies of the elevator key, and he's sure Zeff wouldn't leave the Baratie alone during evening rush.

He smiles to himself and starts making a second sandwich, taking out the mustard he hates but Zoro loves. Sure enough, the sound of light footfalls reaches him, and Sanji looks up to the hesitant expression in Zoro's face. He looks okay, except for the dark bruise on his jaw and the hint of bandages under his shirt.

"Sandwich?" he asks, smiling.

He sees the relief flash behind Zoro's eyes before it falls and it's replaced by a different expression. Is that…anger?

"You look pretty roughened up," Zoro says, his eyes trailing over his body.

Sanji looks down at his bandaged chest and shrugs. "They look worse than they are. They're mostly just annoying, to tell you the truth. What about yours?"

Zoro makes a face and shrugs his shoulders. "Stab wound on the leg, a couple of bruises, and a sprained shoulder. Nothing major."

"So… voulez-vous manger?"

"What even is that!?" Zoro suddenly shouts, startling Sanji enough that he drops the bottle of mustard.

"What the hell?" Sanji exclaims. "I'm just asking if you want to eat. Geez."

"It's just…you!" Zoro yells. "I mean, you're always saying these weird words and phrases, and I don't even know what they mean!"

Sanji stares at Zoro, incredulous. What the hell is going on here? What's with the sudden change in mood? "O…okay? No need to blow a fuse, it's just French, marimo. My native tongue."

"That's what I mean!" Zoro snaps. "I didn't even know that! French? Isn't that from like, North Blue? All the way across the world in the Red Line?"

"Uh, yeah. That's where I was born," Sanji shrugs, returning the mustard to the fridge. "Why are you so pissed all of a sudden?"

"Oh nothing really. I mean, it's not like I just found out that my boyfriend is part of some secret World Government Agency that takes down entire drug-and-weapons trafficking organizations at the drop of a hat!"

"Oh. Well, and here I thought our biggest problem was the supposed infidelity."

"This isn't a joke, Sanji!" Zoro yells. "I wasn't the one who did anything wrong!"

"And I did?" Sanji shouts back, suddenly pissed off. What's with Zoro all of a sudden? Zoro knows he works with Robin. Zoro isn't all that innocent either, Mr. Demon of East Blue. "What, you think Chopper's kidnapping is my fault?"

"What? No!" Zoro takes a deep breath and Sanji can see him struggling to calm down. "That's not what I meant. I mean…you trust me."

"I do," Sanji says quickly.

"Yet you thought I cheated on you."

"Because I saw it," Sanji rolls his eyes. "I mean, it's not like somebody told me you were cheating. I saw an exact replica of you kissing someone else. The fact that I trusted you and you—or your copy, whatever—still cheated, is probably what hurt the most. But you didn't cheat and now I know that, so what's the problem?"

"The problem is I don't trust you."

The words pierce through him, leaving him stunned for a moment. "What?" Sanji gasps, staring at Zoro with wide eyes. "You don't…trust me?"

"How can I?" Zoro exclaims. "I mean—shit, you know I'm not good with words—."

"Well, you fucking better start learning, because you're making a fucking mess of things," Sanji growls, angry. When did he ever give Zoro a reason to distrust him?

Zoro curses and runs a hand through his hair. "Okay, think of it this way: I trust what I know about you. But what I know about you only makes about ten percent of who you are. I mean, don't you think it's sad that I didn't even know where you were born?"

"Oh." That…that makes sense. Sanji knows he has a lot of secrets, and a lot of his past relationships have ended because of them—at least, all of the ones that didn't end because of infidelity.

But he doesn't like talking about his past. He's buried it, along with his last name and his heritage. The only thing he still has left from that time is his money—and his stupid eyebrow. Not even Robin knows everything—not even Zeff. He hates his past, he hates the person that he was, the person that died eighteen years ago.

"Sanji?"

"I don't like talking about it," Sanji whispers, looking down at his hands. He's surprised they're not shaking.

"Well, I…I want to know," Zoro murmurs. "I think…this whole thing…I think it's important. And I understand if there are some things you can't talk about right now, but I still want to know other things—I want to know something."

Sanji nods hurriedly, wracking his brain for some tidbit of information that isn't dangerous. "I…I'm not a member of Cipher Pol," he says quickly. He continues working on Zoro's sandwich, just for something to do. "I met Robin when I was in high school—I think I'd just barely turned seventeen. Mmh, she had me fighting underground at the beginning, but when I graduated, she let me work on missions. I never officially made it to the roster because Robin wanted me stay anonymous."

"So you're like a secret agent or some shit?" Zoro asks, confused.

Sanji laughs, the sound sharp and slightly panicked. "Ah, not really. I mean, it's not like I spent my life going on secret missions or whatever. Robin, she, uh, she's a member of the Revolutionary Army? And, uh, she's double-crossing Cipher Pol. So I'm like the guy that can travel between the two. Her middle man. She gets information from the World Government, and I act it out for the Revolutionary Army."

"Huh, that makes sense."

"It does?" Sanji asks distractedly, bringing out a bag of lemons to start a simple lemonade.

"Yeah. I mean, the only reason why I listened to Robin is because Luffy said he trusted her—and now that I know Robin is in the Army, it makes sense. Luffy's father is Dragon," Zoro adds when Sanji still looks confused.

"Dragon?" Sanji gasps, momentarily shocked out of his autopilot mode. "Like the Dragon? Leader of the Revolutionary Army, Most Wanted Man in the World, Dragon?"

"That's the one," Zoro grins. "He may not look it, but Luffy is a force to be reckoned with. His grandfather is a Vice-Admiral, one of his brother is the second commander of the Whitebeard Syndicate, and the other brother is the number two of the Revolutionary Army. Not to mention Luffy is a power all on his own."

"Holy shit." Sanji takes a moment to let the words sink in. He would have never imagined that rubbery glutton to be so well-connected. He's always sensed that there was more to Luffy than met the eye, but he'd never expected this. So this is what Robin meant when she said Zoro was so well connected. He's startled by his own laughter.

Zoro chuckles and—finally—moves forward to sit across from Sanji. He takes the sandwich Sanji offers.

"Say something in French."

"Vous êtes un salaud de merde."

"That sounds hot," Zoro says, words muffled with food.

"If you say so," Sanji shrugs, smirking. He adds some sugar to the lemonade and after some slight hesitation, decides to put some vodka in there, too. Why the hell not?

Zoro smirks at him and nods when Sanji offers a glass.

"What's your favorite color?"

"Blue. And my favorite number is 32, in case you want to know that too," Sanji snorts.

"I'm being completely serious here," Zoro snaps. "People are supposed to know these things about each other, you know. Do you know how fucking hard I struggled to buy you a Christmas gift? And I'm not even sure you're going to like it."

"I'm going to like it," Sanji murmurs, not meeting Zoro's eyes. He grabs his sandwich and takes a large bite out of it, waiting for Zoro to ask another question. This isn't so bad—it seems like Zoro is only interested in personality stuff. He can do these types of questions easily.

"When did you move to New World?"

"Like eight years ago?" Sanji shrugs. "I was born in North Blue, but I…moved to West Blue when I was nine. Stayed there until I was ten, then I moved to East Blue. I moved to New World right after graduation, when I entered NWU."

They somehow end up talking about everything and anything. They quickly eat their way through the sandwiches, and when that's done, they grab the pitcher of lemonade—though since Zoro refilled it, it's like fifty-percent vodka now—and move to the living room. Sanji is a little tipsy already, so he grabs all the cushions and puts them on the floor, laying on top of them with Zoro sitting on top of just one.

Zoro tells him about his childhood, too. He talks about growing up in the dojo, about meeting Luffy and the others in high school. He talks about losing Kuina, about struggling to live with the guilt. He tells him how his parents abandoned him. How they took him to a park and simply left, leaving him behind. He confesses that he thought for a long time that he had gotten lost and his parents were still looking for him, but after years passed, he accepted the truth. Zoro admits the fear he felt the first time he fought Mihawk, the pain he went through recovering from his scar. Nobody but Luffy—and now Sanji—knows how he got it, though the others know about the scars around his ankles and a few others. He tells Sanji about growing up on the streets, fighting to survive in a dog-eat-dog world, about how Koshiro finally took him in. Sanji isn't surprised to hear that Zoro skipped classes most of the time, and the only reason he passed high school was because Usopp let him copy every time they had a major test. He was always too busy living the life of an adult to really be a kid.

He talks about the first time he saw Chopper; suddenly, he felt like his world revolved around his son. Zoro's voice is thick as he remembers the first months with Chopper, how he had been so afraid of messing up. He knows he couldn't have survived without his friends there to help him.

Sanji talks about his past, too—parts of it, at least. He tells him how he lived in poverty worse than Zoro's when he was a kid, how he would steal food so Zeff wouldn't have to spend so much money in groceries. He smiles when he talks about the Baratie's grand opening, how they had to fight tooth-and-nail to get it to its current fame. He scowls when he remembers how mad he was when Zeff started him off as a dishwasher, even though the Baratie was supposed to be theirs.

Zoro laughs when Sanji shares stories of chasing after girls in grade school, how the teachers would have to call Zeff almost every day because he had punched some boy trying to defend a girl's honor. He tells Zoro about Zeff finally teaching him how to fight with his feet after he broke his hand punching a much bigger bully who wouldn't stop pulling on a girl's pigtails.

He doesn't lie when he goes over meeting Robin again. He tells him about all of the underground work he did for her, about the couple of people he killed for money, about the countless of fights he won. When Robin found out about his interest in cooking, she had offered him a job at Galley-La, though he only lasted there about a year to help pay his way through New World before he started working for Ivankov during his second year.

Zoro is a lot more interested about his time at Kamabakka Kingdom, and he pushes Sanji until the cook confesses that yes, he did sometimes enjoyed the dancing, but he never stripped or participate in the more physical work.

"There is a lot more money to be made there, but I've never been interested in guys, and all of the girls there are not looking for men," he says, his voice slurring. "Though I did get a lot of offers. Iva would've fired me because of all the ass I kicked, but those kinky fuckers actually liked it."

"It's because you look like sex incarnate when you fight," Zoro grins. "The way you stretch out and flex. Fuck, I know it gets me going."

"Shut up," Sanji says, smacking him in the arm.

"Did you ever know your parents?" Zoro asks after a while. The pitcher of lemonade is empty, most of it drunk by Sanji since Zoro grabbed a bottle of whiskey, complaining that the lemonade wasn't even giving him a buzz since it was so 'watered down'. Fucking alcoholic.

"Yeah," Sanji shrugs, frowning when he tries to remember their faces. "They were…blonde. Yup. And…they had the curl."

"You mean, there're more people with those curly eyebrows of yours?" Zoro mocks, snickering.

"Shut up!" Sanji snaps—it's his preferred insult when he's drunk, even though it's not really an insult. "Only my mother had them. My dad had that stupid curl in his hair—though he stopped using it when they moved out of Mariejois."

Sanji scowls when he remembers that stupid hairdo. Shit, it had been so ridiculous. He snickers, trying to imagine himself with the same haircut, and turns to tell Zoro.

Zoro is staring at him, eyes wide and mouth open. "Mariejois?"

Sanji frowns, his intoxicated brain trying to figure out why that word sounds so wrong.

"Your parents…you're a Celestial Dragon?"

Oh no. Oh shit no. Fuck please no. "Zoro, I—it's not what you think—I don't, my parents—please let me—." His stumbling over his words, scrambling to get closer to Zoro before the other man bolts.

"Holy shit, you are," Zoro gasps, moving away from Sanji's grasping hands. "You're a World Noble! Oh my fucking god!"

"Zoro, please, you have to listen to me!"

"I don't fucking have to do anything!" Zoro yells. "Holy shit. God—did you fucking own slaves? Oh god, this is all blood money, isn't it? It all makes sense now! I'm so fucking disgusted right now!"

"Zoro—."

"Don't touch me!"

Sanji drops his hands and stares at Zoro with wide eyes. He can't fucking believe he said that. He's never told anyone that. Not even Zeff knows—oh, he knows Sanji's parents were rich, but he never guessed they were World Nobles. It was a secret Sanji's parents took to the grave—something he'd planned to do as well.

And now Zoro knows.

"…so fucking wrong," Zoro is saying, his words echoing the thousands of people he's heard before. It's not uncommon to hear this from people in East Blue. Even in New World, where things are better off, people think like this. "People are dying, they're being shipped off as animals for your fucking amusement. Do you know how many people I've met that have lost family members to your sick auction houses? You fucking have everything, and there're people out there that have nothing! You think you can just buy people—holy fuck, you were buying me! All that money you spent on me and Chopper, all the favors and the gifts—like I was your fucking whore! How in the fuck can you even call yourself a person? I can't fucking believe I let you touch me!" Zoro spits, disgusted. His hands are scrubbing at his arms as if trying to scratch off the imaginary stains Sanji's touch left behind.

The action makes Sanji's heart ache, and he bites his lips to keep from letting out the ugly sound that threatens to spill.

"Shut up!" Sanji shouts. He's breathing hard, and he can feel his hands shaking. He's heard people talk about Celestial Dragons before. There are very few people in the world that don't think like Zoro. But Sanji doesn't consider himself a World Noble. He killed that part of him—and he did not go through hell trying to rid himself of the filth of Mariejois for Zoro to attack him so harshly.

"Is that an _order?"_ Zoro snarls, contempt and disgust dripping from his every word. Sanji didn't notice when Zoro stood up—shit, he didn't even notice when he stood up himself.

"You don't get to fucking judge me based on your own shitty prejudices!" Sanji snaps, with less heat than he would want. His heart still feels like it's breaking into a million pieces, and he's choking up. "I'm not a World Noble! My parents left the tower before I was born, I don't even use their last name anymore—."

"But it's in your _blood—."_

Sanji lashes out before Zoro can finish that sentence. He may be intoxicated—and Zoro might actually have a chance of beating him in a fight like this—but he has surprise and desperation on his side. He's too quick for Zoro to react, and he takes him down with a sweeping kick to the back of the legs. Zoro lands painfully, gasping as his injured shoulder slams on the ground harshly, but Sanji is already straddling him and holding him down before he can move.

"Get the fuck off me!"

"No!" Sanji yells, squeezing Zoro's waist with his thighs when he tries to move . He's not as strong in his upper body, but he uses his hands to hold his chest down, too. "You can't fucking ask about my past, then run away as soon as you hear something you don't like! You know I'm not a bad person! I'm may not be a saint, but I'm not bad. Zoro, you have to believe, please—I'm not bad!"

Sanji is surprised to see Zoro crying. The man's eyes are wide, looking up at him with a shocked expression, and his face is wet with tears. Another drop falls, and Sanji realizes Zoro isn't the one crying.

It's him. He's the one sobbing, his tears dripping down to splash on Zoro's cheeks.

He takes his hands off Zoro to wipe away the tears angrily—damn, this is the last thing he wanted. He hasn't cried since he was ten and experienced his first panic attack. He's too busy berating himself to realize Zoro is still under him, looking at him with that same strange expression.

It's not anger anymore, it's more like…confusion? Apprehension?

Sanji moves off Zoro and sits cross-legged next to him as he continues to try and stop his emotions from getting the best of him. The tears have stopped now that he realized he was crying, but his chest still hurts and his eyes still burn. His lungs are screaming at him for a cigarette, but he can't remember where the hell he left his pack.

"How did they die?" Zoro finally asks, sitting up.

"Hmm?"

"Your parents," Zoro elaborates. "If you grew up with Zeff, then you're parents are dead, right?"

Sanji smiles despite the blunt wording, but there's no humor in the expression. So Zoro really wants to know everything, huh? He never thought he would have to speak of that time, and part of him wants to tell Zoro to fuck off, but…he knows that if he stays silent, this whole thing will end.

Zoro will leave, and Sanji will go back to way things used to be.

He hesitates even as he stands up and walks towards the only painting he keeps in the living room. It's a dark work, something he picked up during one of his visits in West Blue. Robin found it first, and her morbidity found it appealing. She found it amusing that Sanji ended up buying it, despite his vocal hatred for the thing.

"Do you know the name of this painting?" Sanji asks, tracing his fingers through the lines of a wave. He can feel the bumps and grooves of the textured oil paint under his fingers, giving life to the painting itself.

"No," Zoro answers, a bit confused. "I like it, though."

Sanji snorts. It figures. "It's called _Orbit._ You've heard that story, right? They teach it to kids in high school, the story about The Orbit."

Zoro frowns. "Uh, yeah. Wasn't that the last ship to set sail in All Blue? Before the banning? It sank or something like that. Happened like twenty years ago."

"It'll be eighteen years this upcoming February," Sanji corrects softly. He gives a last, slightly nostalgic, look at the painting and joins Zoro on the floor. The man looks more in control now. He doesn't seem as angry, just confused and a bit uncomfortable.

It's better than the open disgust he showed before.

"My parents never talked much about the tower," Sanji begins hesitantly. He doesn't remember much from that time, but he does remember that he loved his parents very much. "I think they left after they married. They didn't agree with their way of life—the slaves, the corruption, the god complex—so they renounced their heritage. Still, I grew up pampered and lavished in wealth. I have to admit, I was a spoiled little brat. I had a fancy house, fancy clothes, servants—we were Nobles in all but beliefs. I guess despite their compassion, my parents still enjoyed the better things in life."

Zoro makes an angry sound, but Sanji ignores it. Not every rich person in the world is a Celestial Dragon—take sweet Vivi, or even Franky and Robin—and his parents at least tried to be better people. Yeah, they were pompous and a bit stuck up, but they didn't agree with the uglier side of the Nobles.

They didn't think they were better than others—they just very much enjoyed their wealth.

"The Orbit was the biggest passenger steamship ever built—large enough to carry over three thousand passengers, not to mention all of the crew," Sanji continues. He's not eager to tell this story, but he's willing to do it. "It was the epitome of luxury, a ship of dreams, and the largest movable, manmade object in the world. Only the wealthiest, most powerful people in the world where allowed to step foot in it, and when it departed from North Blue on February 10th, the whole event was televised."

Sanji is silent for a moment, remembering how loud it had been, how all of the people had stood at the pier and waved as they departed. There had been so much noise, so much color. A complete contradiction to the way things ended.

"I was so happy when my parents told me we were going," he continues. "It was supposed to be an early birthday present, since The Orbit was scheduled to pass through All Blue, and I had always wanted to see that ocean. Zeff was one of the crew members, Head Chef and in charge of over one hundred cooks. I remember my parents talking about him, saying how they couldn't believe they had hired an ex-con as a cook—but nobody could deny that his food was amazing. The first time I met him, he kicked me in the head because I ordered a strawberry parfait and left most of it. It didn't even hurt that much, but I just started screaming and crying out for my parents—needless to say, he was fired and commanded to get off the ship at the next stop."

He laughs, but there is no humor in it. Zoro still hasn't made a sound, but Sanji can tell by the expression in his face that he knows where this is going—or at least, he thinks he knows.

"I'm sure you know that ships aren't allowed to sail through All Blue, but you probably don't know why. Everyone will tell you All Blue it's a magical sea because it connects to every ocean in the world—and it does. But people tend to forget that seventy percent of the world's oceans are infested with Sea Kings…and All Blue is their preferred nesting ground. When you look at it, you would never think it's the deadliest sea in the world—but there hasn't been a ship that has successfully sailed through it. The Orbit was no exception."

"Sanji, you don't have to—."

"I need to," Sanji interrupts, meeting Zoro's eyes. "You told me about your parents and about Kuina. It's only right that I tell you about this."

Zoro looks like he wants to argue, but he knows this is Sanji's decision to make, so he simply nods and waits for him to continue.

"It happened in the middle of the night. The crew had encountered a smaller Sea King before nightfall and were able to kill it. Usually, a regular ship would never leave the meat behind—food is precious in the ocean—but The Orbit had enough food to feed a small city for months. Zeff always blamed himself for what happened next—he was the one who ordered for the Sea King to be left behind, but he couldn't have known that the carcass would attract an ever bigger monster.

"I didn't know what was going on at first. My parents woke me up in the middle of the night and told me to hurry up and move; I was only wearing the clothes I slept in, didn't even get the chance to put on my shoes. I had—I think I had a sister. I don't remember the gender very well, but I know I had a baby sibling, just two months old. There were so many people out on deck, screaming and crying that I quickly lost sight of my mother, but my father held me close. The Sea King was huge, a mix between a squid and whale, the mouth of a shark. It was freezing outside—we were in the middle of the ocean, in mid-February, at night. My father was trying to find my mother and get me to the lifeboats, but the other passengers wouldn't let him. All of them were fleeing for their lives while the crew tried to hold the Sea King at bay, but they were failing miserably. They weren't trained to fight that kind of animal—they hadn't allowed Marines to board the ship, since despite their authority, they were considered commoners."

If he closes his eyes really tightly, he can still picture that night. The feeling of cold seeping through his wet clothes, the icy wind slashing at him. His father's desperation at not finding his wife. He remembers being pushed and shoved as people rushed to escape. And the sounds of the monster roaring, louder than anything Sanji had ever heard in his life.

"People that had once been claimed as the highest form of sophistication acted like nothing more than animals. I saw fathers abandon their wives and children, people fighting each other for a spot on the measly fifteen lifeboats. There were so many vile people—fuck, Zoro, they just killed each other right there and then trying to escape. There were those that couldn't take it, a lot of people just jumped into the ocean to drown. Some just gave up and sat down, right there on the deck. Most of them were trampled by the crowd. There were a few brave ones that rushed the women and children to the lifeboats and tried to help the crew fight the Sea King, but they weren't much help.

"By that time, the Sea King had managed to wrap its tentacles around the entire ship—the damn things was just so fucking huge. It broke the first funnel off, and when it fell into the ocean, it crushed those that had escaped. Anybody that had eaten a Devil's Fruit was thrown overboard—nobody wanted to be around the Hammers. We found my mother near the life boats. She was looking for us, the baby in her hands, but she had gotten caught in the middle of a crowd trying to rush to the stern. A swipe of a large tentacle crushed them. Just fucking took them out in one fell swoop. One moment she was there, screaming my name, and the next—nothing but a stain on the deck. But I didn't have any time to mourn; the weight of the broken funnels was dragging the ship down—shit, the stern wasn't even touching the ocean anymore and the Sea King was more interested in swallowing down the swarm of people unfortunate enough to fall into the ocean—and I felt like I was climbing a mountain as my father keep pushing me forward, yelling at me to move, to just move faster and get over the railing."

Sanji stops as a particular violent memory raises. Everything is become sharply clear now that he's talking about it, and he's glad Zoro hasn't said a thing. It feels like he's taking out a deeply buried thorn, and it hurts just as much coming out as it did going in.

"The Sea King hadn't forgotten about us, though. It broke the third funnel—just ripped it out of the frame and send it crashing miles away. The deck trembled under my feet and the wood splintered where the frame had been damaged. I was frozen, the ground breaking in half under me, so father picked me up and threw me. I landed painfully on the other side, and I had the gall to yell back a complaint, but he was already gone. The first half of the ship was sinking into the ocean, and my father was falling—it was such a fucking long fall, Zoro. I couldn't see him, but I could hear him, just screaming until he hit the ocean. I was frozen on the spot, people were hitting me, but there weren't as many people onboard anymore so I wasn't too hurt. But the ship was still sinking and I could feel the floor moving so I started running towards the poop deck. Someone pushed me and I fell against the last funnel—the second part of the ship was already perpendicular with the ocean, and that funnel was the only thing keeping me from following my father into the ocean floor. There was furniture falling all around us—the galley was right in front of me, and the doors were open, and everything was falling right on top of me. I just remember closing my eyes and thinking I was going to die. I was a few weeks shy of nine years old, and I was facing my own mortality—no wonder I'm fucked up.

"Someone grabbed me and pushed me forward. He was so strong, Zoro, I had never in my life seen someone stronger. The man carried me to the top deck and over the railing. But there was nowhere else to go after that. We were at the very top, watching the ship sink ever so slowly into the gaping mouth of the beast underneath us. People were falling like my father, hitting the ocean with such a loud noise—there was blood everywhere, even in the dark, you could see it since All Blue is so fucking clear. I turned to look at Zeff and he was screaming something at me, but I couldn't hear him over the sounds of the Sea King screaming, the other passengers dying. They were being eaten alive, some of them still breathing even as they went down its fucking throat. It wasn't until I felt my world shift again that I noticed that we were no longer sinking—the Sea King had let go of the ship, and without its support, we are falling back towards the ocean.

"It was like...like you're at the very top of a fucking huge roller coaster, you know, when you're totally still and then you start falling? That sense of vertigo that you get? It felt like that, except so much worse because most of the lifeboats that the Sea King had miraculously spared were below us and I could tell we were going to hit them. They could tell, too, and they were screaming at us, but what could we do? When we hit the ocean, I didn't feel any pain. The water was too fucking cold for that. It felt nice, for a moment, when the ocean blocked out the sounds of people screaming and crying—but Zeff pulled me out and held me while I shivered."

Sanji is trembling now, his memories are so clear, so vivid, that he can feel the icy fingers of the ocean prodding at his bones. At one point in the story, Zoro moved to wrap himself completely around him now, and Sanji knows that the man is a furnace, but not even his heat can keep the cold at bay.

"Sanji, everything's fine," Zoro murmurs into his hair. "I'm so sorry, Sanji. You're okay now."

Sanji shakes his head because his story isn't over. It's so fucking far from over.

"They said there were no survivors," Sanji goes on. Now that he's talking, he needs to get everything off his chest. He needs to remember this, to feel what he felt back then—it's like he's been numb for the longest time, trapped in the freezing ocean, and he's finally starting to swim upwards. "People didn't start looking for The Orbit until, what, maybe five days? By the time they found it, everyone was dead. They spend a couple of weeks scanning the area, picking up the bodies that were still afloat, and keeping up the pretense of looking for survivors. But they never found any.

"Zeff and I floated off. Everything was fuzzy, since I spent most of the time asleep, but when I finally regained consciousness, we were on a rock, in the middle of nowhere. I was so fucking mad, so pissed that he had saved me. I just wanted to die in that ocean with my parents, fall and hit the sea and sink. But Zeff just threw me a bag of food and told me to go to the other end of the rock and look for a passing ship. He had kept a much bigger bag for himself, but when I complained, he told me he had more food because he was bigger. And since I wasn't even nine years old at the time, and scrawny as hell, I could do nothing but obey. The rock was too high, the shoreline down below lined with jagged rocks. No fish would dare to swim within ten miles of it, no Sea King would ever attack. It was just the two of us, alone."

Zoro is quiet once more, willing to hear this story until its end. Sanji can barely feel the soft touch of his fingers on his arm, the pressure of his hard chest on his side. It's the only thing keeping him from totally losing it.

"There have been plenty of people that have wondered just how long the human body can go without food and minimum water. Most scientist seem to agree on forty-five days—at least no more than two months. After that, organs start to eat themselves, the stomach gets bloated as it retains liquids, you lose control of your bowel movements, and your testosterone levels hit an all-time low. But it's so much fucking worse than that. Because you don't lose your mind, at least not until the very end. You can feel your muscles deteriorating, your body eating itself. You feel fucking disgusting because you can't even control when you got to the bathroom anymore. You spend all of your days thinking about food, obsessing over it, craving it. There is such a deep hole inside yourself that you know you'll never fill and you just want it to be gone.

"I got so hungry, I just wanted to eat something, anything. I was starving and even a fucking bug would have looked like a delicacy to me. I couldn't help but remember all of the times I wasted food. Back at home, it had never been a problem. Every meal was a luxurious event, we were served until our plates were stuffed—and we didn't even eat everything. I was such a picky eater as a child, I used to just eat a bite or two of every dish and leave everything else behind. Mother didn't allow the servants to eat our leftovers, so they were just thrown away. I remember dreaming about stuffing myself in that trashcan, just eating until I exploded and died.

"It could've taken a week or maybe a month, but I broke. I started thinking of the bag of food Zeff had with him and I started planning his death. I spent another week trying to cut a rock into something resembling a blade. My plan was simple: I was going to kill Zeff and take his food and just stuff my face until I died. But when I approached him, he didn't stop me from getting that bag. He just watched me while I ripped it open—but there was no food inside. It was only treasure. That night in The Orbit, Zeff had been planning to run away on one of the lifeboats with all of the money. He had only ever gotten on The Orbit because he had heard it would travel through All Blue, and he wanted to visit the ocean. He was out on deck when the Sea King attacked, and was one of the first people to reach the stern. But when he saw me on the funnel, he risked his life to get me. And then he gave me all of the food he'd saved."

Sanji takes a deep breath, preparing himself for the next part. He owns so fucking much to Zeff—more than his life, more than his sanity, he owns his very reason to live to the other man. He was the one who made him into a cook, he was the one who gave him a skill and a life. A family and friends. Zeff is the only reason why Sanji is sitting right here at this moment, and Sanji will never be able to repay him for any of that.

When he speaks again, his voice trembles slightly. "He cut his fucking leg, Zoro, right at the knee, and ate it. He was feeding off himself, instead of taking my food. He decided to save my life, even when I had gotten him fired, when he didn't even know who the fuck I was. And when I asked him why, he said it was because he'd heard me talking about All Blue, and he knew that I loved that ocean as much as he did. I cried for so fucking long…I probably lost another couple of pounds right there. Zeff sent me back to my end of the rock and told me not to contact him again unless I saw a ship, but weeks passed and I saw nothing. I no longer had any food, and I just couldn't help but think about Zeff, about how he had cut his own leg. I was so hungry, I thought I could do it, too. Just saw off my leg or my arm and eat it. I was going to die anyway, why would I need my limbs, right?

"That night, I was preparing myself to do it. I knew I would bleed, maybe enough to die, but the bag that Zeff had given me was cloth, so I could use that to stop the bleeding, maybe for a little while. I was about to do it, had the jagged rock pressed to my knee—and then, I saw it. The All Blue, lit up bright blue and glowing like lightning. Do you remember that night during the party, Zoro? It was so much more beautiful out on All Blue, where the whole ocean is glowing bright enough to make it look like daylight. The water was so clear and the light so bright that I could look down miles and miles, but I never actually saw the ocean floor. I fell in love with All Blue all over again that night.

"We stayed on that rock for 109 days. My food ran out after about a seven weeks. My body gave out after maybe the third month. It took so long for someone to find us because no one was looking for us. Everyone thought there had been no survivors. Seventy-eight World Nobles had died in that accident, and everyone was appalled. They didn't even care about the crew that had died in battle, or about the hundreds of other lives lost. The little caravel that rescued us was a Revolutionary ship carrying cargo to one of their bases in West Blue. They took us in and fed us. Nobody could explain how we had survived for so long and they all wanted to know how we'd done it. But I was just hungry. I stayed hungry for so fucking long; I never thought I would make it out of that fucking rock alive."

Sanji finally stops talking and takes a breath that rattles his bones. Oh god is he...no, he's not crying again. But he's hyperventilating a bit and his eyes still sting. He's hiccupping, dry sobs escaping him, and Zoro is just holding him. Sanji turns to face him, and buries his face in the men's neck, breathing in his scent. Zoro's hands go to his back and hugs him so tight that it feels like they're going to melt into each other. He needs to finish the story, though. He has vomited all of the toxic in his soul, and he feels that if he doesn't finish, the toxic will just fester and return.

"They wanted to contact my family, but I was afraid. All of my life, my parents had told me to be afraid of the Revolutionary Army. They wouldn't understand that my parents had given up life in Mariejois. If they knew who I was, they would kill me. So I told them I had no one else. Zeff took me in after that, adopted me and gave me his last name. We stayed in West Blue for about a year, then moved to East Blue after I'd turned ten. When I met Robin and found out that she was a Revolutionary, part of me agreed to join her because it felt like I could repent for what I was. I had never understood why my parents left the tower before, but living with the Revolutionaries in West Blue for a few months, and then growing up in poverty with Zeff, made me realize just how horrible World Nobles really are. I was always so afraid that someone would discover my secret, or that Zeff would find out who I was and would hate me for it. Working for the Revolutionary Army was my way of cutting every tie I had to Mariejois."

"Robin dug a little into my past and she found some things about my parents. She doesn't know they were World Nobles—they covered their tracks very well—but she knows about the life I lived back in North Blue. I only ever accepted the inheritance my parents left behind because the Baratie wasn't doing all too well. Zeff put up a fight, but I was able to convince him to use some of the money to give the Baratie the renovations it needed. The rest went to some bank account. Robin takes care of it, for the most part."

There's only silence after Sanji finishes his story. He can feel Zoro's heart beating rapidly against his own, but his breathing is slow and calming. His arms are still wrapped around Sanji, and if he doesn't look the man in the eyes, he can almost pretend that nothing has changed between them.

"I'm sorry for what I said."

Sanji bites his lower lip and holds on to Zoro more tightly. "You were right. Celestial Dragons are horrible people."

"But you aren't," Zoro murmurs. "You're not a Dragon. You never were." Zoro's hands touch his jaw softly and lifts his head up to meet his eyes. Zoro's expression is sad, but there is no pity in his eyes.

Guilt claws at Sanji and he moves his head when Zoro leans in for a kiss. He remembers the revelation he had yesterday when he thought Zoro had cheated on him. He remembers the words Zoro shouted at him before his story.

You were buying me!

"Sanji, what's wrong?"

"You were right," Sanji repeats, horrified. "When you said I was buying you…you were right."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Zoro growls, his voice going from soothing to vicious in a moment.

"When I thought you'd cheated on me, I was so worried about what was going to happen to you and Chopper," Sanji explains quickly, spitting out the words and averting his eyes. "It made me realize that I had tied you down to me, Zoro. I took away your home and forced you to live with me. I made you quit your jobs and gave you work in the Baratie. I forced myself inside your family. I thought I was helping you, I told myself that my intentions were nothing but good, but I was wrong. I was alone, always keeping people away in fear that they would discover who I really was, and I was growing tired it. And then I found you—a good father, a good friend, a good person—and I just needed you to be around me so that I could make myself think that I was a good person, too. Because if somebody like you could be interested in me, then I couldn't be as horrible as everyone says I am, right? But I am—you were right, it's in my blood."

As he speaks, everything starts to make sense. The reason why he helped Zoro so much without knowing him. The reason why he felt so upset when Zoro kept him away. The need to be around the small family, the hurt he felt when he realized he didn't mean anything to Zoro. He thought he was such a good person when he paid off over half of Zoro's debt, but that was what had made Zoro sleep with him in the first place. That's what happened right? Sanji doesn't remember ever thinking Zoro would like him for his money, but that's what happened, right? Because what other explanation is there?

He's such a fucking bastard, he didn't even realize what he was doing.

"Sanji, look at me!"

He shakes his head but Zoro grabs his face and forces it up until he's meeting Zoro's eyes—those fucking eyes that see too much, look deep inside to his very core. He feels like Zoro can see him more clearly than anyone before, including himself

He doesn't expect a kiss, especially not one as soft and tender as the one the swordsman gives him. In that moment, he feels like he's anchored to a rock again—a rock as solid and perpetual as the one that almost took his life.

It gives him an entirely different feeling.

"I was wrong," Zoro says, quickly shushing him when Sanji tries to deny the words. "You're wrong too," he continues. "Don't fucking give yourself so much credit—you're not the evil mastermind you think. You helped me out even before you knew what kind of person I was. You offered me your home when mine was overtaken by Amiudake—and unless you planted that mold there, that had nothing to do with you. And no matter how fucking stubborn you are, I would never have accepted you as a friend if I didn't think you were a good person, got that? I love my son too much to let just anyone into my life."

Sanji nods along to Zoro's words, grasping at them to pull himself afloat. Zoro's right. He didn't know about the Amiudake. He didn't know Zoro when he first offered him food. He didn't know Robin would tell Zoro he was the one who paid Crocodile.

"This is good," Zoro says, and a small smile lifts his lips. "This is what people in relationships do. They argue, they fight, and then they talk."

"I always knew you would instigate the first fight," Sanji mumbles, and Zoro bursts out laughing. It's a pleasant sound that warms Sanji and slows his rapid heartbeat. "Now what?"

"We keep on talking," Zoro shrugs. "Nami says communication is key."

"If Nami says it, it must be true," Sanji says and Zoro rolls his eyes.

"Complete honesty Sanji," Zoro promises. "At least, when it matters."

Sanji nods. He feels drained, like he just ran for hours. It feels better to just let Zoro take over, since he's the only one sober right now. Hopefully, when all of the alcohol leaves his system, he'll be able to get a better grasp of everything that is happening.

But for now, he's just going to trust Zoro and hope the other man wants to fix this relationship as much as he does.


	11. Chapter 11

Sanji falls asleep first. They continue talking after the blond pours his heart out, and by the time they have moved up to lighter topics, Sanji is slurring his words and talking with his eyes closed. It only takes a few minutes of combing through his hair with his fingers for Zoro to put him to sleep.

He snickers and decides not to tell the blond he used to do that to Chopper when he was younger.

It's already three in the morning, but he's not going to be able to sleep at all. It's a bit creepy, but he finds himself lying next to Sanji, just watching him sleep.

Zoro is still a bit shocked by Sanji's revelations. Growing up with Luffy—and consecutively Sabo—Zoro knows more than the common citizen about the horrors of Mariejois. Oh, most people hate them, but that's a carried hatred. A word-of-mouth kind of thing. Very few have gone to the auction houses, or met former-slaves.

He still remembers Hachi crying and begging Luffy not to touch the bastard who shot him. Thankfully, Sabo had been there and taken the fault for the punch Luffy delivered. Luffy was pissed as hell, but Nami and Zoro had managed to talk him down.

He's never heard of a World Noble renouncing their heritage. He knows Sabo was born a noble, though his family never had the same power as the Celestial Dragons. Vivi does carry the blood of one of the first twenty kings, but since her family decided to stay in Alabasta, she was never born into that hateful society.

So Sanji is the same. He may have been pampered in his youth—and Zoro can still see signs of it, especially in the way he dresses and talks—but he grew up in the dirt and grit like Zoro. Sanji is as much a World Noble as Zoro is—which is to say, not one at all.

Zoro does feel guilty for making Sanji relive the death of his parents. The Orbit's demise was a well-documented event, especially since seventy-eight World Nobles had died in that ship—well, eighty-one if you count Sanji's family. There was a whole section on it during his senior year of high school, and he remembers whining at Usopp about it. Of course, nobody knew of the actual horror of it, and the textbooks only went on and on about how sad it was that all of those World Nobles had died. Zoro isn't even sure if the textbook talked about a Sea King attack.

He has a new-found respect for the cook. He's sure not many people would have survived an experience like that. Not only the physical pain of hunger—a feeling he knows all too well—but also the emotional drain of facing such a daunting fate immediately after watching your family be eaten alive by a fucking Sea King. Sanji is strong as fuck for having survived something like that, and he feels immensely proud to be called Sanji's friend, let alone his lover. He's glad that he knows more about the cook, and he feels closer to Sanji because of it, but he's upset that Sanji had to go through something like that at all.

Sanji makes a soft sound, and Zoro looks down just in time to see him scrunch up his nose, mutter "I took out the giblets, shitty geezer", and nudge closer to Zoro.

He snorts. Even when sleeping, the cook is fighting with someone. Zeff, by the sound of it. He glances at the bedside clock and when he sees that it reads 6:08 already, decides it's time to go pick up Chopper. He slowly disentangles himself from the cook's arms, writes down a quick note telling him where he's going, and grabs the keys to Sanji's Mustang.

Nami is already awake and getting ready to go to work when Zoro arrives. Chopper is asleep on their sofa-bed, on top of a large pile of fluffy blankets and about six pillows. Vivi is still dressed in her sleeping clothes, a pair of yoga shorts and a white muscle shirt, while Nami is in her gray pencil skirt.

"When did he fall asleep?" Zoro asks, accepting the coffee Vivi offers.

"Around midnight," Vivi smiles. "He's doing okay."

"I have to thank Igaram for that," Zoro nods. After Sanji had left, Robin had approached them to let them know about Chopper's kidnapping. She explained Bon's work in tricking Sanji away from them, and how Igaram had offered to kidnap Chopper to make sure the boy wasn't harmed during the process. Igaram had planned on standing guard over Chopper to try and help them get closer to the boy, but Crocodile had replaced him with Mr. 1's partner.

Still, Chopper wasn't physically harmed at all—Sanji had rescued him just in time.

"How did things go with Sanji?" Nami asks. Nami works as a banker in East Blue Bank, and she brings in enough revenue that her manager cuts her some slack when she's late. Despite hating her job, Nami is good at it, and it provides a steady income. Just like Zoro, Nami works hard on proving that she's not a liability to Vivi, even though the blue-haired girl often assures her that she's not—just like Sanji does to Zoro.

"We're fine," Zoro answers. "We talked things out."

"Hmm. So did he tell you just exactly how is he involved with that Robin chick?" Nami demands.

"He did," Zoro says, glaring at her. She still hasn't gotten over the way Robin subdued her. Not to mention she warned Zoro from the beginning that Sanji was hiding something. Of course she was right—Nami always is—but he's not about to tell her just exactly what that something is. "He explained everything—and we worked things out."

"Nami, it's getting late," Vivi cuts in softly, ever the diplomat. Nami makes a face, but she knows when to hold back. She finishes the last of her coffee, kisses Vivi goodbye, and leaves. "She's just worried. We are all," Vivi murmurs once the sounds of Nami's car fades.

"There's nothing to worry about," Zoro says firmly. "Crocodile is on his way to Impel Down and Chopper is safe and sound. We're fine."

"Do you want to stay for breakfast?"

Zoro is thankful for the change in topic, though he turns down Vivi's offer. He's sure Sanji will want to cook for them once they get home. He picks up Chopper—years of practice letting him do so without waking up the kid—and drives them back to the cook's apartment.

Chopper wakes up in the elevator ride and Sanji is already awake and whipping up some pancakes. Chopper immediately rushes to hug the blond, chastising him when he sees all of the small wounds.

"You should've gone to Law!" Chopper exclaims, tugging on a few bandages to make sure they're on correctly. "I swear, you're just as bad as Dad!"

"I'm okay, Chopper," Sanji assures him, patting the boy's head. "It's just a few scratches."

"That's what Dad says, too! And it's never just a few scratches. I need to check them and make sure they're healing nicely."

"Alright, but how about we eat first?"

The promise of pancakes layered with syrup and butter is too much for the young boy, and soon they're all eating pancakes. And Chopper doesn't even have to give Sanji the puppy eyes before the cook brings out the chocolate syrup.

Zoro grins; and they say he's the one that's whipped.

Zoro never likes admitting that Sanji is right. It's just something in him that likes to contradict the cook at every turn. Maybe it's the fact that Sanji looks hot as fuck when he's angry. But when it comes to the blond's bed, Zoro has to admit that Sanji was spot on: this bed is the most comfortable bed in the entire fucking world.

Zoro has always been a light sleeper, but he's practically dead to the world in this bed. That, however, doesn't stop him from being woken up by his squealing son, who thinks the best way to portray his excitement is by jumping on top of Zoro, kneeing him on the balls accidentally.

"Fuck!" he curses, curling on himself. "Chopper! Watch out for the nads!"

"It's my birthday, Dad!" Chopper yells in excitement, ignoring his pain. "I'm eight! It's my birthday, my birthday! Sanji is gonna bake me a cake, and I'm gonna get presents! Dad, it's my birthday!"

"I know, buddy," Zoro smiles. The pain on his sack is starting to lessen, so he wraps his arms around Chopper and flops back on the bed. Chopper flails around and starts giggling when Zoro runs his fingers down his side. "You're all grown up now, huh? Growing up to be a man, just like your father."

"Dad!" Chopper giggles. "Stop tickling me! Dad, please! Ha-ha, no!"

Zoro sits up with Chopper on his lap and tries to fix the mess that is his hair. "Alright, Chopper. What's the game plan for today?"

"Well, Sanji is downstairs still working on tonight's dinner. He said that the others won't get here until maybe four or five, so we have all morning to ourselves."

"Hey, do you think we should let the cook know about our super-secret Christmas tradition?" Zoro whispers, leaning in close to Chopper as if afraid someone will hear him.

Chopper's eyes go wide, and a huge grin spreads across his face as he nods excitedly. "Yes!"

"Are you sure? Because that's our special tradition. I won't say anything if you don't want to," Zoro assures him.

"No, we can tell him," Chopper says firmly.

"Alright," Zoro says, grinning. "I'm going to take a quick shower, then I'll go downstairs. Why don't you tell Sanji to start making the hot chocolate, then take all the blankets you can find down to the living room for the fort?"

"Okay! And don't forget you have to wear the—."

"I won't forget," Zoro interrupts, rolling his eyes. "Now go, before I tickle you so hard you pee your pants."

"No!" Chopper shouts, giggling, and rushes out.

He takes a quick shower, then changes into a pair of pajamas he bought when he and Chopper went shopping with the cook. He had managed to keep them hidden this long, but now he's going to have to wear them in front of Sanji.

At least Sanji will have to wear them, too.

He manages to find the living room quickly, where Chopper is already busy building the fort. He's already taken all of the seats from the sofas and put them on the ground, covering them with a couple of blankets and comforters. He has taken the pillows from his room and Sanji's room, and has them all around him. He also brought a few chairs over from the dining room, using the tall backs to hold up the blankets and form the tent. Chopper wants to light up the fort, so Zoro finds some of the leftover lights from the tree and hangs them inside.

"So this is the super-secret Christmas tradition?" Sanji's voice asks, and Zoro jumps, his hands automatically going up to cover up what he's wearing.

"Sanji, they're perfect!" Chopper squeals, and that's when Zoro realizes Sanji is holding a tray with three mugs of hot chocolate and a plate of cookies.

Usually, when Zoro makes hot chocolate, he heats up some water, throws in a bit of chocolate powder and marshmallows, and that's it.

These three mugs, however, don't look like they've received the same treatment. There's dark chocolate dripping from the rim, hardened to take the mugs' shape. Sanji's has topped the hot chocolate with whip cream and three large marshmallows. There's a little of what looks like cinnamon powder dusted on top of the marshmallows in shapes of snowflakes, and two cookie sticks sticking out from each mug.

"What are you wearing?" the cook snorts, and Zoro is brought back to his embarrassing outfit.

"Footie pajamas!" Chopper exclaims. "I'm a reindeer, Dad's a shark, and we got a duck for you!"

"For me?!" Sanji recoils. "I'm not wearing footie pajamas!"

"It's tradition, shit cook," Zoro grins. "We wear footie pajamas, drink hot chocolate, and watch The Nightmare Before Christmas under a fort. It's a super-secret tradition because if any of the others find out, I will personally cut you into tiny pieces."

"Please, Sanji," Chopper begs. "You have to wear it!"

Sanji sighs and rubs the bridge of his nose. "Super-secret?"

"Super, ultra-secret," Zoro nods.

"Give me that," Sanji snaps, putting down the tray to snatch the yellow duck pajamas from Zoro. "Go inside the tent while I change, pervert."

"Who wants to see your skinny ass?" Zoro mutters. Sanji raises an eyebrow, and Zoro knows he's going to regret saying that. Shit.

He and Chopper go inside the tent, and Chopper grabs a blanket to snuggle in while Zoro browses Netflix on Sanji's tablet until he finds the movie. He grabs a pillow to support the tablet, then joins Chopper.

The flap opens and Sanji ducks in, looking really adorable with his bright yellow duck footie pajamas. It fits a little big, so he's gripping the extra fabric with one hand, the other holding the tray.

Zoro's actually impressed at how gracefully the cook manages to settle next to him, all the while holding the tray of drinks and cookies with one hand, the other holding the folds of his pajamas.

"You know, we have a huge, 105 inch TV right outside," Sanji says. "And it's smart, so it can play Netflix."

"It has to fit inside the tent, cook," Zoro replies, rolling his eyes. He takes the mug Sanji hands him, smiling when the taste is not too sweet. He can taste a hint of mint, and the cinnamon adds a little kick. The cookies are plain vanilla, but have a tangy, raspberry filling, which compliments the hot chocolate perfectly.

"I've never seen this movie," Sanji whispers as the movie starts. "What is it about?"

"You have to watch it," Chopper whispers back.

"He means shut up, but he's too nice to say it," Zoro mutters, wincing when Sanji pinches his side. The cook snuggles up closer to him, resting his head on Zoro's shoulder, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Chopper is almost sitting on his lap, watching the movie with wide eyes, his lips never leaving the rim of the mug.

Sanji seems to be enjoying the movie. He hums along to all of the songs, and spends almost five minutes ranting about Sally's beauty.

"That is so not the Christmas spirit," Sanji mutters as he watches Lock, Shock, and Barrel kidnap Santa.

"Be quiet, cook," Zoro grins, sneaking a quick kiss to his temple.

Sanji grumbles, but only snuggles closer, so much so that Zoro feels like he's sitting on Sanji's lap. The cook spreads his legs, dragging Zoro back until he can lean against his chest, and Chopper does the same on Zoro's lap. Sanji's chin digs into his shoulder a bit painfully, but Zoro is too comfortable to complain.

When the movie ends, Sanji confesses that this is his first Christmas movie ever, so father and child force him to stay and watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas (he punches Zoro when the swordsman notices how the Grinch's hair can curl up to look like Sanji's eyebrow), It's a Wonderful Life(Sanji cries, though he swears something got in his eye), and Bad Santa (Sanji stops that one pretty quick, kicking Zoro upside the head for letting Chopper watch something like that).

"He's seen it a hundred times," Zoro rolls his eyes, wrapping his hands around Sanji's middle to thrown him down on the blankets. The movement dislodges Chopper from his lap.

"Such a bad influence, idiot marimo," Sanji says, rolling his eyes when Zoro straddles him. "Chopper is such an innocent, naïve little boy that embodies everything that is good and pure in the world."

"I'm a man!" Chopper squeals in indignation. "Like my dad."

"Corruption!" Sanji exclaims.

"See, he's a man!" Zoro grins, running his fingers up and down Sanji's side.

"Stop that," Sanji murmurs, his mouth twitching. "Zoro, stop!" he exclaims much louder, but Zoro keeps doing it, especially when Sanji lets out a snort of laughter. "Chopper, help me!"

Chopper tackles Zoro from behind, but Zoro easily drags him down, too, and starts tickling him along with Sanji. The cook manages to sneak a foot between their chests, and kicks Zoro off. Before he can sit up, Sanji and Chopper jump on him.

"Wait, no, no!" he cries in laughter, trying to get away from their hands. "Uncle! Uncle! God, please!"

"Say I'm better than you," Sanji says, letting up a little.

"Say I'm manlier than you!" Chopper adds.

"Fine, fine," Zoro gives in. "Stop tickling me!"

"Say it!"

"Cook, you're better than me!"

"Aha, now Chopper."

"Chopper is the manliest man to ever man." Zoro's breath is coming out in gasps and there are tears in his eyes from where he's laughing so hard.

Sanji finally lets him go and check the time on his tablet. "Shit! It's two already! You two numbskulls clean this place up and get changed. I need to get started on the drinks!"

Sanji rushes back to the kitchen, almost tripping on the stupid footie pajamas. He has two hours to whip up vanilla-rosemary lemonade, finish the dulce de leche layer cake, add the garnish to a couple of his main meals—shit, he needs to finish icing the top cake on Chopper's birthday cake!

He works hurriedly but perfectly, moving around the kitchen with the practiced eased of years of training.

"Sanji! Usopp and Kaya are here!" he hears Chopper yell.

"What? It's only—shit!" It's already four and he still needs to get changed! "Take them to the living room!" he yells, rushing out of the kitchen.

He wants to look good, especially next to the feast he just prepared. He's sure to impress Zoro's friends with his D&G vicuña wool, pewter double-breasted pinstripe suit. He decides to pair it with a sky blue silk shirt that brings out his eyes, a burgundy, matte tie, and matching derby wingtips.

Not too formal, just the right splash of color, and the cut of the suit follows the line of his body perfectly, accentuating his wide shoulders, the curve of his back, and his long legs. He looks good.

"Oi, cook, stop gawking at yourself and come say hi to the others!" Zoro yells from the living room.

Sanji scoffs and hurries just in time to greet Vivi and Nami. Their hands are laden with presents, which Sanji quickly takes.

"Let me help you with those, my lovelies," he says, easily balancing the stack of gifts in one hand. "You both look beautiful today. Nami, like the first rays of sunshine. Vivi, like the beautiful ocean after a heavy storm."

Vivi blushes softly and smiles. "Thank you, Sanji. You look very handsome yourself."

"Thanks, Sanji," Nami says, too, though her smile is a bit smaller, and she glances quickly at Zoro before looking down at the floor.

"Stop glaring at the beautiful ladies, you useless swordsman," Sanji snaps, kicking him on the shin softly. "Vivi, Nami, let me lead you lovely ladies to the living room."

Usopp and Kaya are seated close together on the love seat, talking to Ace and Marco. Chopper and Luffy are counting the presents under the trees, smiles growing wider as the number increases.

"Here, I have more," Sanji says, placing the gifts Nami brought under the tree.

"There's so many!" Chopper exclaims happily.

"Sanji, I want meat!" Luffy says. "I can smell it, but Ace won't let me have any!"

"Not yet, Luffy," Sanji says firmly.

"Oi, Sanji, come say hi to my brother!" Ace calls from across the room.

Surprised that he didn't notice the new couple, Sanji goes to greet them. Ace introduces them as Sabo and his wife, Koala. Sabo is older than Luffy but around the same age as Ace. He has blond hair a shade lighter than Sanji and a burn scar on his left eye. His wife Koala, has short brown hair and a wide smile.

"Ah, but what a beautiful lady," Sanji praises, bowing to kiss her hand. "It's my great pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Well, they told me you were a gentleman, but I'm surprised," Koala giggles. "How did Zoro land someone like you?"

"With a lot of luck," Sanji smirks.

"Oi, Sanji, look who's here," Zoro voice's calls from behind him, and Sanji turns around, surprised to see Law and his foster father, Rocinante.

"Law?! What are you doing here?" Sanji exclaims, but can't help but smile a bit. It's always good to see Law, especially when Roci is there to bring out his personality.

"Zoro invited us," Roci says, smiling brightly. "I hope you don't mind."

"They invited us," Law drawls. "Of course they don't."

"Don't be rude, Law," Roci snaps, smacking him on the back of the head. "He's just grumpy because he's hungry," he adds to Sanji, smiling fondly at his foster son.

"Roci," Law hisses, blushing.

"Dude, your tattoos are so cool!" Luffy exclaims suddenly, grabbing Law's arm to stare at the various designs. "Wow!"

"Uh…thank you?" Law frowns, confused by Luffy's bubbly personality. "Who are you?"

"Oh, sorry," Sanji says, remembering to introduce his friend. "This is Luffy. That's Ace and his boyfriend, Marco. Sabo and his wife Koala. Long-nose over here is named Usopp, and miss lovely Kaya. And these two beautiful goddesses are Nami and Vivi. Guys, this is Law, an old friend of college, and his father, Rocinante."

"You're his Dad?" Chopper gasp, looking at Roci. "But you're so young!"

"I adopted Law a few years ago," Roci smiles. "And I'm not that young!"

"You're younger than me, Roci."

"Robin! Franky! Did Zoro invite you guys too?" Sanji asks, surprised. Did the marimo invite all of his friends? Why? Not that he isn't happy to see them, he just didn't expect them to come. Usually, they all have their own things to do, and Sanji simply spends Christmas Eve in the Baratie, working.

"He came yesterday," Robin nods. "Of course, we couldn't pass up the chance to spend such a wonderful holiday with you, Sanji."

"Ah, Robin! I don't deserve your words," Sanji cries happily.

Kid and Bonney are the last to arrive, and they all spent a good half-hour praising the couple for their engagement. Nami admires the large rock on the ring, while Robin kindly reminds them that most relationships end during the engaged stage. Soon, everyone bonds over wedding talk so there's no awkwardness around the dinner table. Everyone gets along quite well—Robin and Koala actually know each other since Koala and Sabo are also in the Army—so the dinner table is lively.

"God damn, Sanji. This is amazing!" Usopp exclaims as he stuffs his mouth with grilled salmon.

"It's delicious meat!" Luffy cries and latches on to a giant slab of Sea King meat. Bonney curses and joins him, and everyone else hurries in before all the food is gone.

Sanji did go all out, if he admits it. Chile-brine ham and coffee-crusted beef tenderloin. Boeuf en croute and herbed couscous. Shepard's pie and rosemary pepper beef rib roast with porcini jus. There's a bunch of other dishes, each one more delicious than the next. Each one is presented perfectly, fit to grace the tables of kings and emperors.

"It's a giant cookie!" Luffy cheers, holding the large skillet above his head. "Amazing!"

"It's supposed to be for everyone, Luffy!" Nami exclaims, but the cookie is already gone.

"Sanji, this is delicious," Koala praises, cutting a second piece of cake. "What is it?"

"It's called baked Alaska," Sanji smiles. "I actually experimented a little with the recipe on that one. Are you sure it's fine?"

"It's amazing!" Sabo says, stealing a bite from his wife's plate. "You can be honest with me…did Zoro kidnap you?"

"Oi!"

Sanji laughs. "Nah," he shrugs. "Like the shitty swordsman could ever beat me."

"If I remember correctly, I did beat you," Zoro smirks. "Right, Robin?"

"Zoro does seem to have won that battle," Robin says delicately.

"What? I was going easy on you!" Sanji exclaims, indignant.

"Eh? You were out of your depth, admit it!"

"No. I just felt sorry for you because you keep trying to catch me and couldn't," Sanji scoffs. "And then your marimo ass sat on me."

"And you liked it."

"As if!"

"Oh yeah? 'Cause I distinctly remember this sexy little gasp you let out. Kind of like—."

"Alright, we get it," Sanji cuts off, blushing. "I'm gonna go get Chopper's cake."

"My cake?" Chopper asks, looking up from the bowl of ice cream he's finishing off.

"Of course," Sanji smiles. "A birthday cake for the birthday boy."

"Yay! Is it a chocolate cake?"

"Just wait and see," Sanji says, and leaves for the kitchen. He adds a few finishing touches to the cake and fills seventeen glasses with milk. He picks up the cake first, which is much larger and heavier, then the tray of glasses. Making sure the cake is balanced correctly, he heads back to the dining room.

"Oh my god!" Chopper yells in excitement, eyes wide as saucers as he stares at the cake Sanji prepared. "It's a cotton candy cake!"

"Your favorite candy, isn't it?" Sanji smiles, placing the cake in the middle of the table. It's a three tower vanilla cake covered in blue, buttercream fondant. The cake itself is pretty simple, since Sanji wants to draw attention to the fact that the three cakes are resting on clouds of pink cotton candy.

"Shit, Sanji, how did you manage to do that?" Ace asks, and he sounds impressed.

"It looks beautiful, Sanji," Robin praises.

"Yeah, yeah, but does it taste good?" Bonney gripes.

"We're talking about Sanji-bro here. It's bound to taste super," Franky grins.

"Can I have the first piece?" Chopper begs, his lower lip trembling a little.

"Of course, Chopper," Sanji smiles. "But first, we need to sing you happy birthday."

They sing happy birthday loudly and off beat. Sanji bursts out laughing midway at the sight of Law mumbling the words, Roci loudly yelling them offbeat next to him. Luffy is hanging off the moody doctor, singing the words loudly and slowly in his ear, as if trying to teach him the words.

"Cake! Cake! Cake!" Chopper, Luffy, and Usopp cheer as Sanji begins to cut the cake into sections. The cake is a bit too sweet for Zoro, and Law doesn't really like bread, so he gives them the smallest pieces.

He doesn't have to worry about any of the food going to waste, even though he made enough to feed a small army, because Bonney, Luffy, and even Ace put away most of it.

As the meal begins to end and his guests start moving to the living room, Sanji and Robin stay behind to wash the dishes. It's slow work, but it gives them a chance to talk. He hasn't talked as a friend with the raven-haired woman for a while, so he listens attentively as Robin tells him about how Franky gave her the perfect anniversary gift, then she returns the favor when Sanji recalls this morning's events (without telling her about the duck pajamas, of course).

"It sounds like things are going well with you two," Robin notices.

"Yeah," Sanji sighs, smiling. He thought things would be weird after his confession, but everything has gone back to normal. "You know, I do have to thank you for this," Sanji adds, smiling at Robin. "You've helped us out a lot."

"You two are rather an unusual sight," Robin says softly. "But I can see how much you care for him. He makes you happy."

Sanji blushes but and decides to only pay attention to the first part. "What's so confusing about us?" he asks, confused. "Do we really don't seem to fit?"

"Not at all," Robin laughs. "But then again, look at Franky and me. There were many that thought little of our relationship. But if you love Zoro, then it doesn't matter how other people look at you."

Sanji stops and looks at the surface of the plate he's cleaning. The suds are being washed away by the hot water, leaving the surface clean and smooth.

If he loves Zoro…it's a thought that has crossed his mind. Fleetingly, but constantly. There was a part of him that thought the words when he thought Zoro had cheated on him. There had been a whisper of it when Zoro held him while he poured his heart out. The words had easily come to mind when he woke up this morning and spent ten minutes just studying Zoro's sleeping face.

The words had touched the tip of his tongue just hours ago, when he saw Zoro dressed in footie pajamas to match with Chopper.

Does he love Zoro? He's a man used to falling in love easily. He has professed his love to women countless of times, often at first sight. His heart beats a thousand times per second, his skin tingles with the need to touch, every moment is filled with brightness and joy—he's experienced that, and more, with Zoro.

But it's different with Zoro, too.

He gets to enjoy moments of silence. There are times when they scream at each other until their throats are raw and punches (and kicks) have been thrown. He gets moments of tenderness, like when Zoro joins Chopper in bed after a bad dream.

"Do you love him, Sanji?" Robin asks gently

"I…I don't know," he whispers. Is it love? It feels so different from what he's used to. Never before has he been able to share his fears, his hopes, his dreams with anyone like he does with Zoro. He wants to be with him, of that he's sure. He really wants to be with him.

But is it really love?

"Perhaps you just need a sign," Robin smiles. "That little thing that makes you think 'I love him'."

"I'm not—."

"Oi, Sanji, Robin…we're waiting on you guys," Franky calls from the kitchen door. "Are you almost done?"

"I'm sure I can finish off here," Robin says as eight disembodied hands appear and take over the washing and drying. "Let's go, Sanji."

The others have already taken the gifts from underneath the tree and moved them over to the sofas. Zoro has a neat little pile in front of him, and a second one that belongs to Sanji next to his.

"It's not midnight yet," Robin says, taking a seat next to Franky.

"Who cares?" Luffy shrugs. "Let's open them now!"

"Okay," Nami rolls her eyes. "Let's just open them all at once, okay?"

Chopper is the one who ends up receiving the most presents since even Sanji's friends brought him at least one gift.

He absolutely loves the hat Zoro bought him, and goes crazy over all of the books Robin got him. He gushes excitedly at Sanji's stethoscope, and receives all of the other gifts with childish glee.

But his favorite, by far, is obviously Law's gift.

"Tickets to Vegapunk's conference?" the boy whispers, staring at the two tickets on his hand.

"He's an old acquaintance," Law shrugs. "I know you've been interested in the limitations of your Devil's Fruit, and Vegapunk-ya has worked for a long time in their study. I thought you might like it."

"I love it!" Chopper shrills. "These are amazing! Oh my god, thank you so much, Law!"

"Good job, Tra-guy," Luffy grins, patting the doctor on the back hard enough to make him stumble forward a little. "You're a nice guy!"

"Oi, watch out, Law," Zoro smirks. "Once Luffy deems you a nice guy, you'll never see the end of it."

Law stares horrified at Zoro, then glances at Luffy, who's beaming. He looks back down at the floor, horrified expression turning to gloom acceptance.

"Aw, Law made a new friend! I'm so proud of you, Law!" Roci exclaims, pinching Law's cheek.

"Roci!" Law hisses mortified. "Oh my god."

After Chopper, the rest of the group starts opening their presents. Nami absolutely falls in love with the dress Sanji got her, Luffy loves the packet of rare meats Usopp gave him, and Koala almost starts crying when Sabo gets her a charm bracelet she had mentioned liking almost a year ago.

"Cook, these are great!" Zoro says when he opens the gift Sanji got for him. He takes out the three golden, dangling earrings and replaces his silver studs with them. The gold is a stark contrast to his tan skin, giving him an exotic appearance. With the earrings, he looks more refined, almost regal.

"They fit you really great, Zoro," Vivi smiles. "Sanji really knows what looks great on you."

"Of course, my princess," Sanji grins. "What did you get me, marimo?" He picks up the two hastily wrapped presents that Zoro got for him. They're both flat and thin, though one is much larger and hard. Sanji unwraps that one first, smiling when he sees the monogrammed cutting board. It's bamboo, is favorite, and he knows Zoro got it from the kitchen supply store he likes on Sabaody.

"Thanks, marimo," he says, smiling. He reaches for the second one, frowning when it bends a little.

"Shit, not that one," Zoro exclaims suddenly, yanking the gift from Sanji.

"Eh? What the hell, Zoro?!" Sanji snaps, reaching to take his present back. "Give it back!"

"No, forget about this one," Zoro says quickly, leaning away from Sanji's grasping hands. "Get off, shit cook!"

"Like hell, shitty moss! It's my present," Sanji growls, straddling Zoro to reach the gift. Zoro leans as far as he can, but curls a little when Sanji jams his knee in his stomach.

"Shit," he curses.

Sanji gets his hands on the present, but Zoro stretches out again to try and get it back, so Sanji has to unwrap it quickly.

"Cook, stop! Don't—fuck."

Sanji gets the wrapping completely off and stares at the navy blue Tupperware lid in his hands. Zoro has stopped trying to get it off his hands, so he's able to sit down on Zoro's lap, the lid between them.

"I, uh—I saw it, and…well, it made me think of the day we met," Zoro shrugs, but he's blushing bright red. "Because, you know, I never gave you the missing lid."

Sanji stares at the lid. It seems like almost yesterday when Sanji found Zoro almost fainting from hunger outside of the Baratie that night in May. Then, he thinks of the night he confronted Zoro, remembers Zoro handing him the stack of containers and saying he was missing a lid—it was such a long time ago, he's surprised Zoro remembers it so clearly.

"It was a spur of the moment thing," Zoro mumbles. "It doesn't—."

Sanji stops him with a kiss, a kiss that stops the jumble of words Zoro is nervously about to say. A kiss that stops the three little words Sanji so desperately wants to shout. Even when they stop kissing, Sanji doesn't let go, nuzzling Zoro's neck.

"I can't fucking believe you are more romantic than me, marimo," Sanji mutters and Zoro laughs, loud and happy.

Sanji squeezes his eyes and bites at his lower lip. He opens them again when Zoro rubs his back, and sees Robin staring at him expectantly.

He nods, and she smiles widely.

He's in love.


	12. Chapter 12

The sun is peeking over the horizon, splashing hues of yellow and orange over the sky. It's not enough to shade light, but it makes the sky look beautiful.  
Zoro can't look at the sky. He's face down on the bed, his face buried in his pillow as he tries to stifle the noises he's making. His legs are pressed together, encased by Sanji's. He can feel Sanji's chest pressing into his back, can feel his mouth leaving marks on his shoulders and in the dip of his upper back.  
He wants to fist the blankets, pull on them until they rip, but Sanji's hands are over his own, fingers intertwined. He wants to push back against Sanji, but the man's entire weight is pressing him down on the mattress.  
"Fucking hell, cook," he growls, trying to buck up into Sanji. "Move!" The order comes a lot more pleading than he intended.  
"I told you, you have to ask nicely," Sanji murmurs in his ear, biting down at the sensitive flesh.  
"Fuck you," he curses, wincing when another pleasure cry leaves his lips. "Sanji—oh shit!"  
He's been on the edge of coming for what feels like ages. But Sanji won't pick up speed. He's just rutting into Zoro, jamming the head of his cock repeatedly and sharply into his prostrate. The roll of his hips is sinful, each aborted thrust torturous to the swordsman.  
His own cock is trapped under him, receiving no stimulation but the slight friction of the too-soft blankets.  
"If you can't fuck me right, then let me get my dick in you," Zoro mumbles, forcing himself to stop gasping. He really wants to come, and the thought of asking nicely is starting to look less and less daunting.  
"What was that? I couldn't hear you," Sanji says, and Zoro can practically feel the man's smirk against his shoulder.  
"Fuck me, you useless piece of—ngh, god!" His face is shoved down into the pillow, and he receives a hard thrust, the slap of skin against skin loud.  
"You mean like this?"  
Fucking shitty cook and his fucking amazing cock. Zoro tries to throw off the cook again, but it's useless. He could have better luck trying to move an eighteen wheeler than to budge Sanji's legs.  
"Fuck," Zoro curses when Sanji pulls on his hair and kisses the taut line of his neck.  
"C'mon, Zoro," Sanji murmurs soothingly. "Just one little please. _Tu peux le faire_."  
Sanji speaks the words against his cheek. The bastard is completely taking advantage of the few inches he has over Zoro by hooking his chin on Zoro's shoulder and grazing his lips against the tender skin of his cheekbones.  
Sanji's hips roll tortuously slow, almost pulling completely out and staying there. Zoro can feel the thick head spreading him wide, the muscles inside his walls flexing around hollow emptiness, and he breaks.  
"Please, fuck me," he growls out viciously—but Sanji knows that's all he's ever gonna get. Zoro gasps as Sanji pushes in slowly, but he only pauses for one moment to move his hands to Zoro's hips—his long fingers curling over the swell of Zoro's hips, his thumbs digging into the two dimples that form on his lower back—and then starts to really fuck him.  
"Fuck yes!" Zoro gasps, his whole body shuddering as pleasure jets through his veins. He can't grind back into Sanji since the cook's grip on his hips is bruising, but he doesn't need to. Sanji is fucking perfect. Sanji moves until his legs are folded underneath him, sitting on top of Zoro, and increases his pace once more.  
He can hear the cook's grunts and moans above him, taking in every cue through the tremors in Sanji's legs, since their chests are no longer touching. Sanji's length is thick and throbbing inside of him, hot where it presses against his walls, blunt as it hits his center. Zoro isn't trying to stop the sounds coming out of his mouth anymore, knowing it's useless to stop them, and lets himself be caught by the wave of blissfulness surging inside of him.  
He ruts into the soft blankets, finding minimal friction against his own painful hard cock, but that will probably be enough to get him to come. He doesn't need much when the cook is hitting his hotspot so fucking often.  
That is, until Sanji pulls on his waist and moves him away from the blankets.  
"Not like that!" Sanji snaps, ignoring Zoro's surprised yelp and pushing him forward into the headboard.  
"What the hell, cook?" Zoro gasps angrily, pressing a forearm against the wood frame. "Let me come!" he demands, moving a hand to grip himself—but Sanji grabs both his wrists and pulls on his hands. Zoro falls face-first into the bed, unable to hold himself up with Sanji holding on to him, and his legs slip a little.  
His face burns as he realizes his position: face down, ass up, and Sanji fucking him from behind.  
"Come!" Sanji demands over the sound of his hips slapping against Zoro's ass. "Fucking come!"  
"Let me touch myself!" Zoro yells back, glaring at the cook and tugging uselessly on his hands. "Fuck!" he moans, seeing stars in the back of his eyes when Sanji switches rhythm and starts rutting into him like a fucking dog in heat. Zoro needs to fucking come now!  
" _Merde, tu m'excites_ ," Sanji growls and finally lets go of him to grip Zoro's hips and fuck in roughly, burying himself to the hilt with each thrust.  
Zoro moans loudly, gripping the covers tightly with one hand, the other one moving to the speed of Sanji's thrusts as he touches himself. It doesn't take long, maybe three tugs, before he's spilling all over his hand and bed. It hurts when he squeezes down around Sanji's hard length, but it makes the blonde explode inside him. His hips jerk against Zoro as the tight passage milks him until it spurts out around him and stains Zoro's dark skin.  
"Oh, fuck," Sanji whines, rubbing a speck of his come into Zoro's skin. "That was so fucking hot." He pulls out and Zoro feels the other man's eyes on his ass even as he feels Sanji's come trailing out of him.  
"Stop that," he growls, rolling over and falling next to the large wet spot where he came. Sanji pulls on the covers until Zoro raises himself a little so the cook can get them off and throw them on the floor. "What the hell was that?" he demands. He's still a little breathless, but he's sure Sanji can hear the irritation in his tone.  
"I wanted you to come untouched," Sanji whines, snuggling in close to him.  
Zoro sighs and rolls his eyes. Of course it was something stupid like that. "Cook, some people are just more sensitive to certain kinds of stimulations. You get off playing with your ass—deal with it."  
"Don't fucking say it like that," Sanji snaps, smacking his chest. "Ugh, fine—but you can't deny you liked it."  
"You know, I could have done without the fucking half-hour of edging," Zoro mutters, but he has to agree with Sanji. He did enjoy that—he can still feel traces of his orgasm turning his limbs to putty.  
"Hey, I was fine giving you a hand job. You were the one who insisted on full-blown sex."  
"Because I thought I'd be fucking you," Zoro snaps. "Whatever. I need to clean your fucking come out of my ass, so move."  
"But I'm comfortable," Sanji whines.  
"Too bad. You promised Chopper you'd take him shopping today, and Koshiro opens at nine."  
"You're not fair," Sanji says, but finally rolls of Zoro. "And here I wanted a second round."  
"Don't tempt me," Zoro says, placing a soft kiss to the corner of Sanji's lips. "We could always take a shower together."

The shower takes a little longer than expected, since Zoro manages to convince Sanji to suck him off and receives a hasty hand job in return. Chopper is already in the kitchen when they arrive, eating a bowl of Lucky Charms.  
"Are you only eating the marshmallows again, Chopper?" Sanji questions as he enters, followed by Zoro. He should probably make sometime quick and simple, so Zoro can go ahead and leave. He has been talking about returning to the dojo for days now, especially since he'll be able to see Koshiro again. Sanji kind of wants to meet the man, but doesn't want to mention it to Zoro. He doesn't know how the swordsman will feel about Sanji meeting his father.  
"No," Chopper answers him, wrapping his arms around the plate.  
Sanji rolls his eyes but stars on an easy omelet for Zoro and himself. He and Chopper are going shopping today while Zoro goes to the dojo. Sanji wants to buy Chopper a phone, since the boy has been scraping by borrowing Zoro's phone or Kobato's, and he will need a way to communicate with them now that classes are starting next week. Also, they need to start buying all of the supplies the boy is going to need. He's sure Chopper will use up a lot more notebooks than Sanji ever did in his time.  
Zoro leaves as soon as he's done with his breakfast. Sanji stays behind to clean the dishes, then helps Chopper make a list of all of the things they need to purchase. After that, they leave for Sabaody, and Sanji readies himself for a long day of shopping. First things first, he needs to buy Chopper a new phone.  
"But why?" Chopper asks as he looks over the rows of phones.  
"What do you mean, why?" Sanji snorts. "So you can call us! What if you inherit the shitty moss' sense of direction? A phone is a lifeline! I should probably buy your dad a new phone, too; I can't believe he's still carrying around that flip phone."  
"I like this one," Chopper says, pointing at one of the IPhones on display. It's one of their limited editions, the IPhone 6 make with the colors of the IPhone 5c. Sanji has the blue one, and Chopper likes the pink one.  
"What do you think your father will like?" Sanji asks, though he can already guess. Chopper only grins and points at the green phone. Sanji does buy the two phones, but also gets Chopper a laptop and a printer despite the boy's complaints.  
"But it's so expensive," Chopper whispers.  
"Dude, have you seen my house?" Sanji snorts, rolling his eyes. "C'mon, Chopper. It's the least you deserve!"  
Chopper reluctantly agrees, but he gets more excited once they enter the large office supply store. Sanji has never seen someone get so excited over paperclips and staples. They end up buying the bulk of their shopping list in that store. It takes a little push from Sanji, but the boy soon starts asking for whatever he wants without worrying about how much they cost.  
By the time they stop at an ice cream shop for a light snack, they're loaded with bags.  
Sanji buys two large milkshakes—chocolate for Chopper, vanilla for himself—and a slice of apple pie for them to share.  
"Thank you for everything Sanji," Chopper says as they take their seats.  
"You're welcome, buddy. Now, let's take a picture to use as your dad's screen saver."  
Chopper transforms into his chibi form and Sanji hugs him to his chest, taking a quick selfie. It looks like Sanji is holding on to a cute teddy bear, smiling widely at the camera. He quickly sets it as the background in Zoro's phone, leaving the lock screen with the default image.  
Since he has to go to work at three because he asked for the morning off at the Baratie, they leave as soon as they finish their milkshake. Sanji drops off Chopper at Usopp's, who has Kaya over. Chopper shows off his phone and quickly gets Usopp and Kaya's number.  
He drops off the stuff they bought first, then heads over to the Baratie. He's surprised to see the car Zoro took already parked next to Sanji's parking space.  
"Zoro's here?" he asks his father once he's inside the kitchen.  
"Upstairs getting changed," Zeff nods.  
Sanji finds him in one of the empty rooms, tying his apron. He looks up when he hears the door opening, smiling when he sees Sanji.  
"How was it?" Sanji asks, talking about Zoro's visit to the dojo.  
"Good. I missed him," Zoro grins, talking about his foster father. "He's gotten more students and bought the place next door. It's getting really popular, so he's actually looking for a new instructor."  
"Well, that's good," Sanji smiles. "I got you a present. You can call it our two month anniversary gift."  
"Isn't that next week?" Zoro frowns.  
"Wow, I didn't—I didn't think you'd actually remember," Sanji says, surprised. "But yes. This is just early."  
"I didn't get you anything," Zoro says, and Sanji shrugs.  
"You don't have to. Open it." He hands the box to Zoro, who opens it and frowns.  
"I already have a phone."  
"Yeah, but this one's better," Sanji says. "You see how it doesn't flip open? That means it was made after 1996."  
"Those things are stupid," Zoro scoffs. "I just need to talk, and my phones does that fine."  
"Well, I already switched your number to this phone," Sanji snaps. "And took like a bunch of pictures on it."  
Zoro slides the screen open and smiles when he sees the background picture. He leans in to give Sanji a quick kiss on the side of his mouth, and Sanji hears the sound of the phone camera.  
"Nice," Zoro grins, looking at his phone. "Put that one on the outside screen." He hands the phone to Sanji, showing him the picture.  
Zoro has his eyes closed, a hint of a knowing smirk on his face as he kisses Sanji, whose eyes are wide in surprise. He smiles and quickly puts it as the lock screen, feeling a strange giddiness at being chosen as the swordsman's lock screen. He himself has a picture of the sleeping marimo with Chopper as his background, a picture of the Baratie as his lock screen.  
"C'mon, we'll be late for work," Sanji says, handing Zoro his phone back.  
"Ugh. Sometimes I just want to punch some of these people in the face," Zoro groans, but follows Sanji back to the first floor.  
"Heh. They're probably just annoying you because of your ugly face."  
"I don't think that's it. Some lady pinched my ass as I was walking by, and some old guy handed me his business card with a personal number on the back."  
"Maybe he could tell you have a thing for older men," Sanji says, smirking.  
"I think it's the grey hair," Zoro replies, laughing when Sanji gasps and touches his head.  
"Idiot! I don't have grey hair, bastard!"  
Zoro laughs again and kisses him softly before he opens the door leading to the dining room.  
Sanji ignores the small ache in his chest and follows him.

Things feel weird when Chopper starts going to class. Instead of dropping him off at Nami's or Usopp's, Zoro now has to take him to New World University. He worries all day during the first day of school, but when he goes to pick up Chopper at two from his last class and sees that he's still alive, he chills out a bit.  
The New Year also comes with a change in work schedule. Zeff lets him switch shifts with Jerry so that Zoro can go to the dojo every morning. Sanji, however, stays in the morning shift so they don't get to spend as much time together as before. Maybe that's the reason why Sanji starts acting more affectionate. Not that Zoro minds—he does enjoy when the blonde is in a pampering mood, especially since he stops trying to get Zoro to come without touching his dick.  
Apart from work, Sanji is also busy helping Kid and Bonney with their wedding. The happy couple has already set the date for late June and while Bonney has chosen her sister Lola as Maid of Honor, and Kid has chosen his best friend Killer as Best Man, the pair often come to Sanji for help.  
Sanji it's only happy to help, and the man does have great taste and plenty of connections.  
Because of their new, limited time together, it takes a while for Zoro to notice that something is bothering Sanji.  
Zoro isn't exactly sure what, but he can feel it. It's an uncomfortable feeling, the type of feeling he gets when buildings start moving (he would call it getting lost, except he doesn't get lost). He doesn't know what he can do to fix it, but he wants to. He doesn't like the way Sanji hunches down on himself, the way he looks at Zoro like he wants to say something, yet never does.  
Sanji is upset because of Zoro, and he doesn't know what to do. And this isn't the same thing as when they fight. Those are silly problems, often blown out of proportion. They fight more because it's fun, than to actually fight. Fighting with Sanji is the best workout, and Zoro loves doing it almost as much as sex, but this is different. Sanji is affectionate, but there's something he isn't telling Zoro.  
He hasn't had a chance to talk to him about it in the past days because Robin's birthday is today, and Sanji made himself responsible for the day's catering.  
The sound of a car honk startles him out of his thoughts, and he realizes the light is green. Cursing he steps on the gas and takes a left when the GPS says to go right. He's found that if he turns in the opposite direction that she says, he'll get where he wants to go.  
Zoro drives until he arrives at New World Banking. He's greeted at the door politely, and offered a water bottle while he waits. He's found that people are nicer to him when they see him driving one of the cook's cars. It doesn't hurt that while his clothes are casual, they're ridiculously expensive.  
"Mr. Roronoa?"  
He looks up at the tall, dark-haired man that greets him. He's dressed like the cook, except he's a bit shorter and has wider hips.  
"My name is Darson, how can I help you today?" he asks politely.  
"I opened an account a couple of months ago…I just want to see how much I got in there," Zoro says awkwardly, running a hand through his hair.  
Darson follows the movement, then nods. "Of course; right this way, sir." Darson leads him to his office and offers him a seat. He clicks something on his computer, then turns to Zoro.  
"May I see your ID?"  
Zoro hands it over, and settles more comfortably on the chair as Darson begins pulling up his account.  
"Which account would you like to view, Mr. Roronoa?"  
"What are you talking about? I only have the one," Zoro frowns.  
Darson cocks his head in confusion. "No…I see here you have a joint savings account with a Sanji Black."  
Zoro groans, and thumps his forehead with the palm of his hand. "That fucker…how much is in there?"  
"Well, there's an automatic monthly deposit of five thousand Beris. It has been open for four months, and the first deposit was of twenty thousand Beris…right now, you have forty thousand Beris on this one."  
Four months? Why the fuck would the cook open a savings account four months ago? They weren't even dating back then—shit, four months ago is when he found out Chopper could go to college. The cook probably opened it back then to help him out.  
"Check the other account," Zoro says.  
"This is a checking account, and it has only been open for about two months. You have ten thousand Beris in this account."  
Damn…he hasn't really paid attention, since he has no expenses now thanks to the cook, but he really makes a lot of money working at the Baratie. He still feels a bit uncomfortable every time he think about everything Sanji does for him, but he's learned how to ignore the feeling. Besides, Sanji's birthday is coming up, and Zoro wants to get him something special.  
"Okay. Can you deposit these three thousand in the checking account? Also, set up an automatic transfer from this account into the savings account," Zoro says, taking the money out of his pocket.  
Darson takes the money and nods. "Very well. How often would you like the transfer to be? And in what amount?"  
"Make it 2,000 every month," Zoro says. He doesn't have as much money as Sanji, but he can at least contribute something. Whatever money they save up can be given to Chopper once he turns eighteen.  
His phone rings, startling him. Darson gives him a look, but doesn't say anything as Zoro answers the phone.  
"Hello?"  
"Where are you? Robin's party starts in twenty minutes, marimo!"  
"I'm like ten minutes away," Zoro lies, glancing at his phone. New World is about forty minutes away from Water 7. Shit, the cook is gonna be so fucking pissed. "Don't worry, I'll get there."  
"Ten minutes? That's like an hour in moss time. You know you're going to get lost."  
"I'm don't get lost, shit cook!" Zoro snaps, surprising Darson.  
"I know, I know. The buildings move. Whatever, just get your ass here, shitty moss."  
"Alright. I'll see you in a few."  
He hangs up and Darson hands him back his ID. "There we go. Is there anything else I can help you with, Mr. Roronoa?"  
"Nah, that's it. Thanks."  
Robin's party is being held at Galley-La, since Frankie is the VP and all, so Zoro sets up the coordinates in the GPS. He finds a route that can take him there in thirty minutes, but the buildings start moving as soon as he crosses state lines, and he wastes twenty-minutes trying to find his way back. When he arrives, the party is in full swing and Sanji is nowhere to be found.  
He's not surprised to see some of his friends there, since Koala knows Robin from the Army. The two are actually good friends, and it's not long before Nami, Vivi, and Kaya befriend the raven-haired woman, too. Zoro is pleasantly surprise to see that Nami doesn't seem to hold the same level of distrust towards Robin—or Sanji—anymore.  
He doesn't see Sanji anywhere, so he grabs one of the offered beers, and walks to where Ace, Marco, Sabo and Franky are talking.  
"Zoro-bro! You made it!" Franky exclaims, patting him in the back.  
"Yeah. Though Sanji is still gonna kill me," Zoro says, taking a drag of beer.  
"He really went all out," Sabo says, looking around at the multiple tables filled with food so exquisite and delicious-looking that Zoro can get full just looking at them. "This looks even better than the meal he prepared for Ace's birthday."  
"That's because we didn't give him much time to prepare, yoi," Marco snorts. "I asked him on Christmas."  
"Talking about food, where's Luffy?" Zoro asks, looking around. He's surprised at how quiet the whole building is. There's soft music and the sound of conversation, but nothing indicating the presence of Ace's younger brother.  
"Over there, with Chopper," Sabo says, nodding to where Zoro can now see Usopp, Chopper, Law, and Luffy.  
Usopp and Luffy are being their usual childish selves, telling some incredible story to Chopper and Law if their wild movements are of any indication. Chopper looks completely in awe like always, while Law has a strange half-exasperated, half-amused look that one can only ever achieve once they spend five minutes talking to the monkey boy.  
"I think Luffy has a crush on him," Ace sighs, looking at his brother. "He keeps visiting him at work. He even invited him here."  
"Luffy? A crush?" Zoro asks, incredulous. "Are you sure?"  
"Yeah," Ace sighs. "Law looks like a good guy, but I'm worried he's gonna hurt Luffy's feelings once he finds out Luffy's ace."  
Zoro makes a face, silently agreeing. He still remembers Luffy's first crush, some girl whose name he doesn't even remember anymore. She dated Luffy for a while, but broke up with him as soon as she found out he had no intention of ever sleeping with her. Then there was Boa, who didn't care about Luffy's lack of interest in sex—but Luffy never felt anything but friendship towards her.  
"I don't think Luffy is gonna give up either way," Zoro finally says. "I mean, this is the guy who managed to convince me to join that stupid Midsummer Night's Dream play in high school."  
"You were a wonderful Puck, Zoro," Ace laughs. "I can't fucking believe I slept through that."  
"The woes of a narcoleptic," Zoro shrugs. "I'm gonna go say hi to the birthday girl, then I'm gonna go find my cook."  
"Oi, Zoro, try and find out more about that Law guy from Sanji!" Sabo half-yells, half-hisses after him.  
Zoro rolls his eyes and waves his hand in acknowledgement. He walks over to where the girls are, talking quietly amongst themselves. Robin catches his eye first, but doesn't say anything as he walks towards her.  
"Hey, Robin," Zoro says. He doesn't exactly feel nervous around Robin anymore, but he's still cautious. "Happy birthday."  
"Why, thank you, Zoro," she says, smiling. For once, there's nothing hidden in her smile but happiness. "Sanji will be glad to see you make it just in time."  
"Where is he, anyway?" Zoro asks, looking round the room. If anybody knows, it's Robin.  
"I saw him out in the yard a while ago," Kaya answers. "I don't know if he's still there."  
"I saw him go into the kitchen," Vivi says. "You should tell him to join the party, Zoro."  
Zoro glances at the kitchen door, frowning.  
"Is everything okay, Zoro?" Robin asks curiously, her eyes shining. "You look…nervous."  
"What? No, I'm fine," Zoro shrugs, ignoring her penetrating stare. She raises a delicate eyebrow, and Zoro sighs. "I think something's bothering Sanji. He keeps acting all weird."  
The four women share a look, and Zoro realizes that they're all very aware of whatever is causing Sanji to be in such a funk.  
"You all know," he accuses, glaring at them. "Well, what is it?"  
"We're not gonna tell you," Nami scoffs. "It's your own fault for not noticing."  
"That's not fair!" Zoro exclaims. "I'm not psychic like you all!"  
"We're not psychic, Zoro. We just pay attention," Kaya says, rolling her eyes.  
"Oh, we cannot put the blame entirely on Zoro," Robin appeases. "Sanji is a very secretive man. He's able to keep secrets from me, and that's a feat all on its own."  
Zoro averts his eyes, realizing Robin is talking about the secret behind Sanji's parents. He glances at her just in time to see curiosity shining in her eyes, which quickly turns to surprise, then amusement. Shit, she knows that he knows what she's talking about.  
"Oh my, this is quite the revelation," Robin says, her voice heavily amused. "I take it back. It's entirely your fault that you don't know what's wrong with Sanji."  
Zoro splutters and glares at her, indignant. Well, fine! If they want to be that way, he doesn't need their help.  
"I'm gonna go look for Sanji," he huffs out, turning his back on them.  
"Good luck, Zoro!" Vivi calls after him. Zoro almost smiles until he hears their giggling.  
Women.  
He finds Sanji in the kitchen like Vivi said, directing the fourteen Galley-La cooks on duty. He looks like a Marine Captain preparing his troops for battle. It's all kinds of hot.  
"Hey, cook," he calls, waving when Sanji glances at him.  
"Did you just get here, marimo?" he growls, sending him a dark look.  
"What? No!" He makes an affronted face, pretending to be insulted. "I was talking to Ace…do you know Luffy has a crush on Law?"  
"On Law?" Sanji snorts, easily falling for Zoro's tactic. "And here I thought you and I were an odd couple. But I guess I can see it…if a squint."  
"You know Luffy's ace, right? Do you think that'll be a problem?"  
Sanji grabs a platter of Devil eggs and walks over to lean on the counter next to Zoro. His eyes follow the cooks still working diligently in front of him. "Nah. Luffy will be good for Law," Sanji finally answers thoughtfully. "And don't think I don't know you just barely arrived," he adds, offering him some eggs.  
Zoro shrugs and pops an eggs in his mouth. "Sorry. I was in New World when you called me."  
Sanji nods and leans against Zoro, resting his head on Zoro's shoulder. "Hey Zoro…"  
"Yeah?" Zoro prompts when Sanji trails off.  
There's a pause, then Sanji straightens up. "Do you like them?" he asks, nodding to the food.  
Zoro frowns, confused. He wasn't expecting that question. "Yeah, they're fine."  
"Good," Sanji says, his eyes on the back of a random cook. He sounds like he doesn't care, but he's not fooling Zoro. Not when Zoro can see the slightly self-deprecating smile and the tight grip he has on the counter. He wants to ask him what's wrong, but part of him knows that Sanji won't give him a straight answer. He sighs, completely stumped.  
"Oi, guys…you better come outside; Robin has something to say," Franky calls from the entrance.  
"C'mon, marimo. Don't make my beautiful Robin wait," Sanji snaps, but intertwines their fingers together, squeezing his hand softly.  
Back in the conference room, Zoro can see that everyone has gathered in front of the small stage at the end of the room. Robin, Franky, Sabo, and Koala are talking quietly to each other in it.  
He can see Iceberg, Franky's brother, talking to that curly-haired guy he met during his fight with Sanji. There's also that squared-nose Usopp look-alike he defeated a while back. Ace and Marco are with Luffy and Law, and Nami and Vivi are talking excitedly to Kaya about something that is making Usopp sweat in fear.  
"Hey, Dad! I didn't see you come in," Chopper exclaims, bouncing up to them.  
"Hey, buddy."  
"Hello, everyone!" Franky suddenly calls out loudly, stopping all conversation. "First of all, I would like to thank you all for coming to my wife's super birthday party. A special thanks goes to our good friend Sanji Black who provided the super delicious food you are all eating right now!"  
"Whoo, go Sanji!" Luffy yells, causing a ripple of laughter to spread across the room.  
"Shut up, moron!" Sanji shouts. "This is Robin's moment!"  
"Alright, calm down, Luffy," Sabo says, then nods for Franky to continue.  
"Thanks, Sabo-bro. Today, we're not only celebrating my beautiful wife's birthday. We also have super news we would like to share with you all, our friends and family. Robin, would you like to do the honors?"  
Robin grabs Koala's hand and takes a step forward, softly touching Franky's arm. No matter how odd a couple they look, the love between the two is clear, even to someone like Zoro.  
There is something familiar in the way they stare at each other, like there's no one else in the room but them. He's seen that look before in Sabo and Koala. In Ace and Marco. In Vivi and Nami. It's a look of pure devotion and adoration, the type of feelings he's ever only felt towards Chopper, or Kuina.  
And it looks so damn familiar, but he can't quite pinpoint from where.  
When Robin turns her gaze towards the crowd, her smile is blinding. For a moment, Zoro finds it more beautiful than the smile Sanji gives him every morning. She looks like she's glowing. She's so happy, Zoro can't help but think she's beautiful.  
"Franky and I would very much like to announce that on later on this year, we will be welcoming a new addition to our family," Robin says, her shoulders hunching a little as she smiles.  
Before anybody can say anything, Koala leans in close to Robin and says, "And so will we!" and points at her belly.  
"I'M GONNA BE AN UNCLE?" Luffy shouts, and before anyone can stop him, he catapults himself to Robin and Koala, hugging both women tightly. "THIS IS THE GREATEST NEWS EVER!"  
"Oh my god," Sanji whispers as the whole rooms explodes with calls of congratulations and well-wishes. Franky busts out his guitar, Ace falls asleep in shock, and Marco goes to congratulate Sabo, a snoring Ace in his arms.  
Nami drags Luffy off Robin and Koala, and she, Kaya, and Vivi start gushing over the mothers-to-be.  
Zoro turns to look at Sanji, but in a flash, Sanji disappears from sight and reappears next to Robin, then proceeds to hug her almost as tightly as Luffy did. Zoro gapes at him.  
Did he just—holy shit, Zoro didn't even see him move! How the fuck was Sanji that fast?  
"Oi, marimo, get the fuck over here and congratulate these beautiful mothers!" Sanji shouts back at him, voice thick with unshed tears. Chopper is chattering excitedly to Sabo and Koala, looking like a little ball of light.  
Shit, that's right. He shakes his head, ignoring the little voice in his head telling him that maybe Sanji really didn't fight him seriously that day in the underground rings.  
He reaches Koala and Sabo first. "Congratulations," he says, nodding politely.  
"Get over here!" Sabo exclaims and wraps him and Koala in a tight hug.  
Zoro laughs and returns the hug. "So this is why you're getting that vacation, huh?"  
"Gotta take care of my family first," Sabo nods. Zoro thinks if he grins any wider, Sabo's face will split in two.  
"You guys are going to be amazing parents," Zoro says honestly. "And hey, if you guys ever need some tips, just remember I'm the only one in the gang who actually has experience with kids."  
"He's really great!" Chopper agrees, pointing at himself.  
"I can see that," Sabo laughs.  
"Don't even offer, or you'll be in babysitting duty for the rest of your life," Koala grins.  
Ace wakes up before Zoro can say anything, and he gets jostled aside as the freckled boy crashes into his brother and sister-in-law, bawling his eyes out. Chopper instantly starts worrying about Koala, fleeting around her to try and make sure Ace isn't too heavy. Zoro rolls his eyes and joins Sanji, who is still hovering over Robin.  
"…how far along are you? Have you picked a name? Do you know if it's a girl or a boy? Oh, how I hope it's a girl!"  
"Let the poor woman breathe, cook," Zoro snorts, wrapping an arm around Sanji's waist. "Congratulations, Robin. I thought you are looking a little fat."  
He receives a kick on the side for his joke, and a slap on the back of the head he's pretty sure came from one of Robin's disembodied hands.  
"Don't joke around, you stupid bastard!" Sanji snarls. "Pregnant women are the height of beauty! The way the glow with happiness, their eyes shining with the knowledge of life, their bellies round with the fruits of love! Ah, Robin, votre beauté sera magnifique!"  
"Why, thank you Sanji," Robin smiles. "I'm really happy I was able to conceive. It's harder once you hit a certain age, you know."  
"But you are so perfect, Robin! You're going to have the most beautiful baby in the world! Unless the poor kid looks like his father," Sanji finishes, glaring at the still-singing Franky.  
"Oh, Franky is quite the looker," Robin smiles. "You should've met him when he's still all human." She turns to look at Franky and a hand appears on his lower back to pat him in the ass.  
"Wow! This one's for you, baby!" Franky shouts, pointing at Robin, and jumps into another loud and excessive song. "Come dance with me, beautiful Nico Robin!"  
Robin laughs and joins her husband. As soon as Luffy sees dancing, he grabs Law's hand and drags him to the dance floor, jumping around like a monkey. Soon, everyone is joining in, more because it's fun than because the music is something you can actually dance to.  
Zoro and Sanji are one of the few couples not dancing. Instead, they're leaning against the wall, watching their friends make fool of themselves while Zoro nurses a beer and Sanji smokes a cigarette. Zoro smiles when he sees Kaya start dancing with Chopper, Usopp cheering them on from the side.  
"I'm really happy for them," Sanji says quietly. "They really love each other."  
Zoro looks at Robin and Koala. The two women are dancing together, Franky is bawling his eyes out to Sabo, and Luffy and Ace are doing some weird shuffle dancing while Marco and Law watch on in horror.  
"Yeah," Zoro finally answers, feeling that the answer is inadequate even as he says it. Sanji snorts and leans into him a little.  
Zoro sets down his beer, grabs Sanji's hands, and tugs him towards the dance floor to join Chopper. "Come on, cook. Let's show these idiots how to dance."  
Sanji laughs and lets himself be dragged forward.  
Just being together, laughing and dancing with their friends, is enough for Zoro.


	13. Chapter 13

Sanji is nervous.  
He woke up before sunrise to prepare breakfast, but decided at the last minute to let Zoro sleep in a little bit. So he placed the mini frittatas he made in a rack to cool. They taste good at room temperature.  
And now to the reason why Sanji is standing in the middle of his walk-in closet wearing nothing but his navy blue boxer briefs and mid-calf high black socks.  
Would it be too pretentious to show up at the dojo wearing a suit? Or would showing up in jeans and a t-shirt be too formal? What if he wears jeans and a blazer? Or a tie? Is it better to wear loafers or derbies? Should he maybe wear a bow tie? A cardigan? It's still cool outside, he can manage wearing a scarf.  
Should he wear a leather jacket? Or maybe his jean jacket? Khaki pants? Black dress pants? Navy blue jeans or washed out? Fitted jeans? Skinny or loose?  
Shit, he has no fucking idea what to wear! He has to make a good impression; this is the man that raised Zoro, for god's sake!  
The sound of running water lets him know that Zoro is awake. He can't let the marimo know how nervous he is, or he will never hear the end of it.  
Quickly, he grabs the first clothes he sees and throws together a smart casual look. He turns and looks at himself in the mirror, seeing Zoro open the door behind him.  
"How do I look?" he asks. He's wearing fitted, black jeans with a long-sleeved denim shirt under a Doublju double breasted, waist long forest green pea coat with inner plaid details and a brown scarf. He's also wearing a pair of brown and caramel, leather and suede desert boots with spits.  
"Hot," Zoro says, walking over to hug Sanji from behind. Because of the difference in height, Sanji can't see the marimo's face anymore. "What's for breakfast?"  
"Mini frittatas with ham and cheese," Sanji says, smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles. "Banana or mango for you drink?"  
"Can I get mango and pineapple?" Zoro asks, kissing Sanji's neck.  
"How about mango, pineapple, and banana?"  
"Ooh, even better."  
"Get changed. I'll have it ready by the time you get down."  
Zoro thinks less about what he's wearing, walking inside the kitchen a few minutes later wearing a pair of washed out jeans, a plain white t-shirt, and a burgundy jacket with a hood. They eat quickly, since they're running a little late, but Sanji packs a few leftover frittatas for Zoro's father, since the swordsman is certain his sensei is going to love them. They drop off Chopper at school, the start the drive to Shimotsuki.  
Sanji frets silently the whole drive to East Blue.  
Zoro asked him last night if he wanted to go to the dojo with him. He's sure Zoro didn't mean much from it, he probably only wants to spar with Sanji, but this is the first time Sanji gets to meet Zoro's father.  
This is a big deal for Sanji. He's never been introduced to a parent before.  
Shimotsuki Central Dojo is a nice place. Like Zoro said, it has been extended into the building next door, so it's bigger than Sanji expected. Inside, the building is entirely made out of large, open spaces.  
There are a couple of classes that have already started, but Zoro's doesn't start until eleven, so they have time to kill. First, Zoro leads him to the men's locker room, where he changes into his keikogi.  
"Koshiro should be watching over the training," Zoro says. "C'mon."  
Sanji follows him, noticing how out of place he looks. Everyone is wearing the same forest green keikogi as Zoro, their feet bare. Sanji's footsteps are loud on the wooden floors, and he can see students turning around to look at him.  
He keeps his gaze on Zoro's back as the marimo leads him to an older man with long, black hair tied back in a ponytail and wide glasses.  
"Sensei," Zoro says formally, bowing.  
"Son, there's no need for that," the man answers kindly, his eyes moving to Sanji. "Who's your companion?"  
"This is Sanji, my boyfriend," Zoro says, moving to push Sanji forward.  
"It's nice to meet you, sir," Sanji says politely, copying the bow Zoro delivered. "Zoro talks very highly of you."  
"Oh, so you're the one that finally got Zoro to settle down," Koshiro says, giving Sanji an appreciative look. "I guess I have you to thank for leading my son back home."  
"I only pushed him around a bit," Sanji says, grinning. "You know how he is…gets lost walking down a straight path."  
"Oi!" Zoro complains, but Koshiro laughs.  
"You know, Zoro said you're a chef…and that container in your hands happens to smell very lovely."  
"The moss head said you would like them," Sanji says, opening the container. "Frittatas. Best served warm, but they're alright at room temperature."  
"Zoro, go warm these up for me," Koshiro says, handing the container to the marimo. "Sanji, come sit with me."  
Zoro scowls, but obeys. He knocks Sanji's shoulder deliberately, so the cook sticks his foot out, making Zoro stumble. The swordsman turns to glare at him, but Sanji is already sitting next to Koshiro, smiling innocently at him.  
"Damn curly," Zoro mutters, walking away.  
"I'm glad to see you don't easily get pushed around," Koshiro says, saving Sanji from lapsing into an uncomfortable silence.  
"Like that stupid swordsman can push me around," Sanji scoffs.  
Koshiro laughs softly. "I've been wanting to meet you, Sanji. I hadn't seen Zoro in five years, and when he comes back, he keeps talking about a blond cook that irritates him to no end. I have to say, I was curious."  
"A good curious, I hope," Sanji says, letting a little of his misgivings color his voice.  
"You care about him," Koshiro says. "And he cares about you. The last time I saw him this comfortable with somebody, my daughter was still alive. I hope you and him make this relationship work."  
"I hope so, too," Sanji murmurs. Sanji has already invested all of his heart into the relationship. He's so fucking stupidly in love, it's not even funny. But he has yet to tell Zoro. Which is strange, since Sanji has never had a problem professing his love for anyone before. Just yesterday, he spent the day telling Koala and Robin how much he loved them.  
But it's different with Zoro. Because the feelings he has for Zoro are so intense, the word love doesn't seem enough. If he were to confess to Zoro, it wouldn't mean anything. After all, Zoro knows how easily he says those words.  
He once read that cursing too much lessens the meaning of insults. You grow so accustomed to hearing them, that you don't find them insulting anymore. Sanji thinks it's the same the other way around.  
If he were to Zoro he loves him, would Zoro even believe him? Would he say it back?  
These thoughts have been bothering him for weeks now, so much so that he's sure Zoro has noticed something is wrong.  
Sanji turns his gaze to the students practicing in front of him. He sees a few new people arriving, probably the next class, and Zoro walks up to them and starts talking.  
Sanji studies the green-haired man, wondering how strong of a swordsman he really is. Zoro is a challenge, but Sanji has only fought him at around forty percent of his true strength. Of course, Zoro hasn't trained in the art of the sword for almost five years, and Sanji has worked with the very best to perfect his fighting style for the last twelve years. It's not right to compare their strengths. Perhaps, if Sanji had met Zoro eight years ago, he would not have been able to defeat the swordsman.  
"…cook!"  
Sanji jumps, startled, and glances at Zoro. "Huh?"  
"Didn't you hear me calling you?" Zoro snaps, rolling his eyes. "This is Toma, a friend."  
"Oh, nice to meet you," Sanji says, shaking hands with the freckled boy.  
"So you're Zoro's boyfriend," Toma says, giving Sanji a slow onceover. "No wonder Zoro doesn't flirt around."  
"Yeah, I'm too hot for the moss head, I know," Sanji grins.  
"Hah, yeah right," Zoro snorts. "How can you be hot when that stupid eyebrow of yours keeps scaring the students away?"  
"Not as stupid as your grass head."  
"No, seriously, you'll hypnotize someone with that thing."  
"I'm surprised no flowers have started popping out of your head, now that I force you to take daily showers. Oh, but flowers need nutrients, and there's nothing in that giant head of yours."  
"Having nothing is better than those perverted thoughts of yours, Mr. Nosebleed."  
"That was one time!"  
Zoro snickers as a blush explodes over Sanji's face, painting the bridge of his nose, his cheeks, and the tips of his ears red.  
"You're a jackass," Sanji mutters.  
"Ha, look who's talking."  
"Wow, you guys sure have that love-hate thing down to a T," Toma snorts. "The makeup sex must be off the charts."  
"Shut up, kid," Zoro snaps, hitting Toma on the back of the head.  
"You two should go get ready," Koshiro interrupts. "I saw some of your students starting to arrive. I'll clear the floor for you, Zoro."  
Zoro and Toma move to the entrance to greet the newcomers. Koshiro stops the class and gives out advice to a few of the students he finds lacking, before dismissing them. Zoro's students train in the room Koshiro just emptied, while Toma's students are in the room next door.  
Since all of the rooms are separated by sliding doors, Sanji gets to see as Toma guides his students through a few basic stances.  
Zoro's students are more advanced, so the marimo has them paired against each other while they practice. Zoro himself is with one of the better students, going through katas.  
The room is loud, since every time a student strikes, he yells out.  
It isn't until they move to free-sparring that Zoro becomes stricter, often stopping and admonishing students for errors Sanji can't see. He doesn't know the correct way a swordsman fights, he only knows that none of these men can defeat him.  
"You are all stuck in your ways!" Zoro suddenly lashes out angrily, stopping the crowd. "None of you will be able to move on to the next level if you continue acting like this. A true swordsman isn't a rod of steel that cannot move when the blade comes! If you want to defeat your enemies, you must learn to adapt!"  
"Adapt to what?" a large man with long red hair tied back in a ponytail sneers. "If your enemy comes, then you slice through him! If you trust in your sword, there is nothing you cannot cut!"  
Sanji can't help but snort. That guy sounds just like Kaku…well, at least until Sanji got to him.  
"You got something to say, blondie?" the man barks at him, leering. "Just 'cause the sensei's kid is giving it to you up the ass doesn't mean you got a say in our business. Just stay back and enjoy the show, sweetie."  
"Fucking talk to me like that again, and I'll fucking break your shitty neck," Sanji growls, glaring at the larger man.  
"Shit, that's great!" Zoro suddenly exclaims, turning to look at Sanji whose scowls deepens. "Come fight this guy, cook."  
Sanji starts. "You're joking right?"  
"What's wrong? Scare of cutting up your Armando shirt or whatever?"  
"Armando…? It's Armani, you idiot," Sanji sneers. "And this is Chanel, I'll have you know."  
Zoro gives him an unimpressed glare.  
"Fine," he sighs loudly, moving down to take off his shoes. "But if he messes my shirt up, you're buying me a new one, got it? This one goes with everything."  
"It's a black shirt, shit cook. The world isn't going to end."  
Sanji glares at him and sheds his pea coat and scarf. He wavers for a moment, before mentally shrugging and taking off his shirt, too. He walks up to Zoro and glares at the red-head, grinning a little bit when he sees arrogance give way to hesitation.  
Sanji knows that with his clothes on, he looks thinner and lankier than he really is. Nobody really expects to find a well-muscled, arduously marked chest underneath the form-fitting clothing. But that's part of Sanji's fighting style: if the enemies underestimate him, they've already lost.  
Sanji's body is compacted, sleek, every edge and turn accentuated with speed and elegance. His clothes hide most of it, but his build is better than even Zoro's, which is saying something. Though he's sure that if Zoro keeps training the way he's been doing these past couple of weeks, he'll soon get bigger than Sanji. Damn brat and his stupid wider shoulders.  
"If you can defeat Sanji, I'll tell everyone you're better than me," Zoro tells the red-head. "But if he manages to knock you off your feet, then you're on cleaning duty. For a month."  
"Alright," the man laughs. "I'll enjoy everyone finally realizing what a shitty instructor you are."  
Zoro takes a step back as he feels Sanji tense beside him. The red head moves to attack, his shinai held stiffly in front of him. He's fast for a man his size, but nowhere near the cook's speed.  
Sanji puts his hands in his pockets and relaxes his upper body, moving his left foot back to tap his toes on the ground. As the man reaches his range of attack, the cook drops to the ground to deliver a sweeping kick, knocking the man off his feet with one leg. Before the man can do more than gasp for breath, Sanji strikes again, this time kicking the man's chest and completely knocking him out.  
It literally takes him two seconds.  
Zoro stares at the crumpled form of one of his best students—despite the temper—and groans. "Goddamn it, curlicue; can't you at least make it fun?" No later is the last word out of his mouth that he has to duck to evade one of Sanji's perfect kicks.  
"I thought he was going to be more of a challenge, shitty moss," Sanji growls, twisting to follow up with a backhand kick. "You made me get up for that?"  
Zoro moves his sword to block Sanji's kick, but the cook is already using his hands to do a handstand. He hooks his foot around Zoro's neck and brings him crushing down, instantly jumping from his handstand to land on the marimo's back.  
But Zoro is quick, too, and he retaliates with a backhand slash that would've ripped Sanji in half if he hadn't flipped back quickly. Zoro unsheathes his second sword, and Sanji grins.  
Testing Zoro's strength and agility, Sanji instantly falls into one of his more powerful kick combinations, staring with a mid-air attack, lashing out with one leg forward, the other kicking back to provide the necessary momentum. Zoro barely manages to block it, but Sanji is already falling into his next attack.  
He seamlessly combines his training in savate and capoeira, moving from lethal kicks to dance-like movements that allow him to evade Zoro's swings. He switches flying roundhouse kicks to twisting axe drops in a single, complex dance. Butterfly kicks turn into skipping side kicks. He stretches is body to its limits, flexes in ways that no human can achieve without intensive training. He lets his body flow through Zoro's attacks, never attacking more than he has to. He doesn't want to kill, so instead of delivering kicks that can break through metal, he delivers attacks that will only bruise.  
His strength lies in not letting himself be caught, on flowing through Zoro's swords like running water. He ducks and swirls, bending his body backwards to escape the unforgiving swords. He lets his legs fall in a split, then—still on a handstand—tucks his body in before exploding into a double kick straight to the swordsman's face.  
Zoro freezes for a moment, and Sanji knows that if his kick hits its mark, he'll break the swordsman's jaw. So at the last moment, Sanji opens his legs and pushes into the movement. He hooks his legs on Zoro's shoulders and lifts his body up until he can grab a hold of green hair. Zoro's hands automatically go to hold his waist, and he's now effectively sitting on Zoro's shoulders.  
"What the hell is your problem, marimo?" Sanji snaps, squeezing his knees threateningly around Zoro's neck. "A kick like that would've knocked your teeth out."  
"You let me win," Zoro breathes out, staring at him with wide eyes. "That day…back with Robin…you let me win."  
Sanji rolls his eyes. "Flirting 101, shitty moss; you don't beat up the guy you like." He pulls on Zoro's hair until he can plant a firm kiss on his lips, then lets go and falls backward into a headstand, letting go of Zoro's shoulders before straightening up. "Now, continue on with your class, sensei."  
Zoro's confusion drops as a scowl replaces his frown. "Look who's got jokes. I'll get you back for this, cook."  
"You can try," Sanji says, taking his seat again. He doesn't bother putting his clothes back on. It's still chilly outside, but he's warmed up from the impromptu sparring. He only hopes the marimo keeps deodorant and body spray in his locker.  
Zoro returns to his students, who seem more willing to follow their sensei's advice now that they've seen how easily it is to be defeated, even using swords. Toma finishes up his class before Zoro and joins Sanji. He's playing on his phone, though, so they don't fall into conversation.  
Zoro has gotten stronger that the first time they fought. A few times, Sanji had been forced to abort an attack to protect himself from the swordsman's attacks. Humility has never been one of Sanji's strong points, so he knows he's a hell of a fighter and that no one in this dojo can defeat him in a fight.  
The way he and Zoro moved was like a dance, like the sway of the ocean and the moon. With a little more training, a bit more polishing, Zoro will transform into a dangerous opponent. Sanji shivers in anticipation: if the swordsman improved this much in the last three months since they fought at the rings, how strong will he be in, say, a year?  
Sanji's eyes fall on Zoro again, just in time to see him show one of his students a particular kata, one that makes the muscles on his chest flex impressively. Sanji licks his lips and grins.  
That is definitely something to look forward to.

Zoro isn't one for romance. Why waste your time in stupid gestures like presents or flowers when you can just tell someone you love them? Why is there a need for theatrics?  
But Zoro also knows that Sanji is a sucker for romantic gestures. And since Zoro still hasn't figured out what's upsetting the cook, he's gonna do something nice for the cook.  
And that's the reason why Sanji is sitting on a barstool in the kitchen island while Zoro is cooking and Chopper is hanging out with Luffy, the only single person in their group. Even Usopp grew the balls to confess to Kaya in time for Valentine's Day, and the couple are enjoying their first date in Alabasta.  
"If you overcook the spinach, it'll get bitter," Sanji says conversationally.  
Zoro curses and moves the pot from the flame.  
"You're over-whisking the egg whites. They'll separate," Sanji adds.  
"Shit, how can you even tell?" Zoro growls, but turns of the stand mixer.  
"You know, Pavlovas keep up to two days. You could've made them in advance, that way you wouldn't have to cook them with the chicken."  
"You have two ovens. I can just use the second one."  
Sanji only hums and runs his finger down the edge of his ceramic plate. "The chicken stock needs to simmer, not boil. The flame is too high."  
Shit. Fuck. Shitty fuck. Zoro fucking practiced, why the fuck is he messing up so much? Every piece of advice Sanji is giving him, Zeff gave him yesterday, while he was teaching Zoro how to prepare…whatever the hell he's making now.  
And how the fuck does Sanji know what's supposed to happen if Zoro hasn't told him the recipe?  
"Do you need help?"  
"I've got this!"  
"Really? Because the egg whites are falling and you need to add the raspberry juice and make peaks."  
Zoro spares a look at the egg whites, but the liver is burning. He moves the pan off the flame, then adds the raspberry juice to the egg whites and turns on the mixer again. He adds salt and pepper to the spinach and sets that aside, then checks the ravioli. It's soft, like Zeff said it's supposed to be, so he turns that flame off.  
"Ha! I told you I had it. Any more comments, cook?" Zoro sneers.  
Sanji sighs and places his chin on his hand. "Once you add the mushroom mixture and radicchio leaves to the chicken liver, it needs to refrigerate at least for an hour, up to three. Which means your appetizer and side dish will get cold. At least the dessert will be ready on time, since the meringue needs to bake for two hours. The curd is supposed to be refrigerated for a day, but it'll still taste good if you leave it for two hours."  
Zoro stares at his chicken liver, which is slightly burnt. The spinach is already getting cold, and the ravioli is splitting.  
"Do you need any help?"  
The answer is petulant. "Yes."  
Zoro steps back and watches in grudging respect as Sanji fixes the mess he made. He heats up the spinach on low, and re-stuffs the ravioli, making a thick sauce to pour on top and keep the filling from coming out again. He takes out two slabs of salmon and seasons them with cayenne, salt, and pepper. He cuts up a lemon, places two slices on top of each slab of salmon, and puts it in the oven.  
He forms the Pavlovas and puts them inside the second oven, and starts on the custard. After fifteen minutes, the oven timer rings and Sanji turns it off on his way to the refrigerator, where he puts the custard. He takes out the salmon, cooked to perfection, and serves it with the spinach. He takes two ravioli and places them on bowls, then fills them up with the chicken broth.  
"We'll eat the radicchio and mushroom chicken roulade tomorrow with the raspberry-cream pavlovas," Sanji says, placing the salmon and ravioli on the kitchen island Zoro cleared for them.  
Since there's only the two of them, it feels a bit silly to use the huge dining room table.  
"Thanks, cook," Zoro mutters. "I'm sorry about the food. I just—."  
"It's fine," Sanji interrupts, smiling. "It took me a whole year to be able to cook a whole course meal at one time. Besides, Zeff told me how hard you worked to learn."  
"He told you?" Zoro groans. "Shitty old man. I begged him not to!"  
"This is nice, though," Sanji smiles, taking a bite of his ravioli. He winces, but continues eating. "I mean, please never cook again, but the thought is nice."  
"Hey, I can cook," Zoro mutters, taking a bite of his salmon. Bastard, it's perfect. "You know, I didn't just feed Chopper instant noodles and take out before I met you."  
"Don't talk about what from now on will be known as the Dark Ages."  
"Ha. Ha. So funny."  
"No, really. If you want to learn how to cook, I can teach you," Sanji shrugs. "And stop being a coward and taste your own food, grass-head."  
Zoro makes a face and takes a small bite of ravioli. "Oh god, how can you eat this shit?" Zoro groans, spitting the food out into his napkin.  
"You know the rules, Zoro," Sanji tuts. "We don't waste food in this household."  
"That shit is going to give us food poisoning!"  
"Food poisoning isn't caused by bad flavor. That's the taleggio cheese you used instead of parmesan. Honestly, how did you get the two confused? Taleggio stinks!"  
"All of your cheeses stink," Zoro shrugs. "Zeff told me not to doubt the recipe."  
"Yeah, and the recipe called for parmesan," Sanji snorts.  
"You're the one that wants to eat it," Zoro shrugs.  
"Happy Valentine's to you, too, asshole."  
They continue to bicker and eat. Zoro honestly feels like he's going to throw up every time he takes a bite out of his ravioli, so Sanji gives him his salmon and takes Zoro's bowl of ravioli. Zoro wants to put up more of a struggle, but it's hard when the salmon tastes just so damn good.  
And then Sanji reminds him that he didn't prepare a drink, and brings out a bottle of sake from the bar. Sanji doesn't hold his liquor well, though, so Zoro stops him from drinking more than two cups.  
That's more than enough for the cook's tongue to loosen, and he starts bawling over how much he misses Chopper, and why isn't he here? He doesn't believe Zoro when the swordsman reminds tells him Chopper wanted them to have a special day for themselves, and Zoro has to physically wrestle the phone from him before he calls the poor child.  
Zoro blends together the sweetest fruits he can find and gives them to the cook to sober him up a little, then forces him to drink a couple glasses of water. The last thing he needs is for Sanji to fall asleep tonight.  
Valentine's Day means sex, right?  
Unfortunately, all of his hard work goes to waste when Sanji downs half a bottle of Grappa 120 Proof. A bottle of that shit's strong enough to get Zoro buzzed, and Sanji just swallowed half.  
"Goddamnit, cook!" Zoro growls, trying to drag the cook upstairs. Well, his night of ridiculous hot sex just got flushed down the toilet. Hopefully, a cold shower will keep Sanji from throwing up at night. He should probably take a couple of water bottles upstairs, too, and some Advil.  
"I need to call Chopper. I'm gonna call him," Sanji slurs, trying to fight off Zoro.  
The damn cook is just as slippery drunk as he's sober. Maybe more so.  
"Shhh! Don't yell! Chopper needs me to call!  
"Chopper needs you to leave him the hell alone," Zoro mutters. Sanji freezes and Zoro takes the opportunity to drag him the last couple of steps into their room. He pulls the covers off the bed, but when he turns to the cook, he's surprised to see him crying, big fat tears rolling down his face.  
He's hunched down, wiping at his nose with the back of his hand, and his eyes are huge as he looks up at Zoro.  
"Chopper doesn't want to see me?" Sanji asks him, voice breaking. "He doesn't love me?"  
"Oi, cook, stop crying!" Zoro exclaims, but the cook only starts sobbing, his shoulder shaking.  
"But I wanna see him! Take me to him! Take me! Take me!" The tears stop as Sanji starts his temper tantrum, kicking at the base of the bed.  
"Fine!" Zoro yells, surprising the cook. "I'll take you to him. But you have to be patient. Chopper's asleep, and you don't want to wake him, do you?"  
Sanji hunches his shoulders and covers his mouth with a hand, shaking his head slowly. "You'll take me to him?" he whispers through his fingers, the words barely recognizable through his slurred speech.  
"Yeah, sure I will."  
"Yay!" Sanji exclaims happily, leaning heavily against Zoro. He touches Zoro's lips and smiles widely. " _Je t'aime. Je t'adore. Tu es l'amour de ma vie_."  
Zoro rolls his eyes. He can never understand the cook when he's talking in French, and when's drunk, the words sound even more confusing.  
" _Est-ce que tu m'aimes_?" Sanji says, looking at him with wide, hopeful eyes and a hesitant smile. Zoro is trying to get his jacket off so that he can put the cook in the shower and get him to sober up a little, but the cook only tugs at him and repeats the words  
"Yeah, yeah," Zoro says, hearing the slight tilt of a question. Sanji laughs and hugs him tightly, taking Zoro by surprise and making him stumble back into the bed. "Fuck!" he curses, rubbing the shin where Sanji accidentally kicked him. "That hurt, shit cook."  
"Zoro," Sanji says quietly, and Zoro gasps when he sees Sanji's eyes. They're dark with want, his lips bitten-red. His cheeks are flushed and there's a slight sheen of sweat on his collarbones and Zoro gets the strong urge to lick them. Sanji leans a little closer to him, still kneeling on the ground between Zoro's legs and massages his thighs slowly.  
Shit, is Zoro really gonna get his night of hot, wild sex?  
 _"Veux-tu m'épouser?"_  
He has no idea what Sanji just slurred out, but his hand is getting really close to Zoro's crotch, and Zoro can read the context. He's about to say yes when Sanji leans back a little frowning at a spot on the wall, before his eyes grow wide and he throws up the night's dinner on Zoro's shoes.  
"Ugh…Zoro…I don't feel too good," Sanji grumbles, wiping his mouth on Zoro's knee.  
Zoro feels his erection wane as the smell of puke hits him, even worse because Sanji was nice enough to eat the stinky cheese Zoro didn't like. It only gets worse when the cook remembers Zoro's promise to take him to see Chopper and starts another temper tantrum.  
If there is a god, then he fucking hates Zoro.


	14. Chapter 14

When Sanji wakes up, he feels gross. His head hurts and his mouth is dry, and there is something that smells like rancid cheese. The sun is high in the sky, but the usual beautiful view outside his window only serves to make his head pound harder.

Ugh…he feels like shit. How much did he drink? He sits up a little, noticing for the first time that Zoro isn't in bed with him. He can hear the soft sound of music, which means Zoro is blasting it at full volume somewhere in the house. He's probably working out.

He did leave a glass of water and an aspirin on the bedside table, which Sanji takes gratefully. He stays in bed for a couple of minutes, just trying to control his pounding headache, but the smell is getting to him. Shit, did he throw up? And in front of Zoro?

How fucking humiliating.

The sheets are sticking to his skin, and his whole body smells musty and sweaty. He's only wearing his boxers, but he discards them as he wobbles to the shower. He's under the cold spray before he can open his eyes all the way. The cold water serves to wake him up and lessen his headache. He stays under the water for a little while before he starts cleaning himself, paying close attention to his hair, which smells too much of puke. He brushes his teeth and rinses with mouthwash twice, the heads back to open his windows and air out the room. There's no trace of vomit anywhere, which means Zoro probably cleaned up for him.

Still, he fills up the tub with Borax and detergent and lets his sheets soak to get rid of the smell. He grabs a couple of cotton balls and soaks them with essential citrus oil and puts them inside a little glass bowl he places on his bedside table. He walks downstairs, grabs some baking soda and one of his slow cookers, and brings it back to his room. He sets the slow cooker on the floor, fills it up with water, adds a few tablespoons of baking soda, and sets it on slow.

Already, the room smell fresher and the baking soda will help get rid of the lingering smell.

He already feels much fresher, but the hangover is still there. He doesn't feel as bad as he usually does after a night of heavy drinking, which means Zoro probably helped him yesterday. What he needs to do now is rehydrate himself. And maybe try and remember what the hell happened last night.

It's not that cold outside, so he opens the doors that lead out to the patio so the whole penthouse can air out. It won't be long before the whole place smells of ocean mist, but he kind of wants to smell the sweetness of spring today, so he makes a simmering pot of rosemary, orange peels, and vanilla.

He drinks two bottles of water and prepares lemon mint cucumber water to drink after a light workout. He needs to sweat out the rest of his hangover, and the detox drink is one of the more hydrating drinks he knows.

"Something smells good."

He turns to smile at Zoro, sweaty from his morning workout. "Thanks. I opened the patio doors. Not too cold, is it?"

"Nah, it feels great," Zoro says, walking over to wrap his arms around Sanji waist. He hooks his chin on Sanji's shoulder and watches as the cook thinly slices the cucumber and lemons. "How's your head?"

"Not too bad," he admits.

"I make you drink a bunch of water after you threw up," Zoro explains.

"Ugh, god, don't remind me," Sanji groans. "I bet that was super gross."

"A little," Zoro admits. "But hey, you smell wonderful now."

"And you stink," Sanji snaps, but holds on to Zoro's hands when he tries to pull away. "You wanna spar a little with me? I need to sweat the alcohol out. We can take a shower together after."

"But I'm hungry," Zoro whines.

"C'mon, I can you make you something once we're done," Sanji says. "I'll even suck your dick."

There's silence and Sanji smirks a little, expecting to feel the tell-tale hardness of Zoro's excitement on his backside, but when he turns to stare at the moss-head, he has a pensive expression.

"Bastard! Do you really need to think about it?" Sanji snaps, stomping on his foot.

"Shit, ow! Fucker, why'd you do that for?"

"I don't have to be nice to you, dipshit!" Sanji yells. "Help me sweat off this fucking hangover or you can eat shit for breakfast."

Zoro doesn't think hard about that, so they go back to the training room for some light sparring. They still work up a sweat, and Sanji feels a lot better by the time they hit the shower. They're too hungry to do much but wash each other, but at least the detox water is done by the time they return to the kitchen.

Pairing it with a Greek yogurt with quinoa and blueberries has Sanji feeling a lot better, and ready to make up for yesterday's date to Zoro. He lets the swordsman come in his mouth, and spends a good thirty minutes worshipping his body before Sanji even starts fucking him. Zoro dozes off for about an hour after that, but wakes up just in time to go pick up Chopper from class.

Sanji decides to stay home, eager to relax on his day off. He cleans up a little bit, taking out the wet sheets from the tub and putting them on the washing machine. He puts up the slow cooker and cleans out the pot where he simmered the vanilla and orange peels. Usually, he hires a cleaning crew to come in his house once a month to do a thorough cleaning. Sanji is a tidy person by nature, so he doesn't really dirty the place up. Most of the time, the crew only has to do some dusting. But living with an eight year old and his sloth of a father is hard work, so Sanji decides to put on some music and start on some spring cleaning.

He starts on Chopper's bedroom. He only has to sweep a bit and put his dirty clothes in the washing machine. Chopper keeps his work area extremely tidy, and Sanji smiles when he sees the stacks of neatly written notes. All the medical jargon looks like hieroglyphics to him.

After that, he cleans the gym. That is definitely the dirtiest room in the entire house, since Zoro is in there almost five hours every day. Sanji freshens up the place with some baking soda, which traps odors, and cleans out the mats. He puts those outside in the patio to air dry. It doesn't really take as much time as Sanji had expected, but maybe that's just because he's having fun. The music is blasting on loud and the whole place smells of the ocean outside.

He takes care of the kitchen last, cleaning it more thoroughly than any other place. He disinfects the counters, cleans out the fridge and pantry, and makes a list of all of the things he's short on. He also takes out everything that is close to expiring, thinking up of a meal that will allow him to use the food so he won't have to throw it out.  
It's been almost two hours since Zoro left, and he still isn't back. Sanji tries not to worry, but he still sends out a quick message asking him if he's alright.

"In Sabaody with Chopper. Be back soon."

He's in Sabaody? What could Zoro possibly need to buy in the city—holy shit, Sanji's birthday is in two weeks. Zoro is probably out buying him a birthday gift. Sanji grins and puts up his phone. He knows the other man has been planning his party with Zeff. Sanji usually doesn't celebrate his own birthday other than sharing a slice of cake with the old man, but he loves birthdays as a whole.

He remembers telling Zoro to make his birthday amazing. It looks like the swordsman took that to heart. He wonders what Zoro's gift will be, knowing already that it's going to be great. After all, he keeps the plastic lid Zoro got him for Christmas in its own drawer, and uses his monogrammed cutting board daily. And yesterdays' dinner had been a romantic gesture, even if Sanji had tried to erase the disgusting flavor with a bottle of Grappa.

He groans when the memory sends a stabbing pain through his head. Shit, how much did he even drink? He lays his head in the cool counter and breaths the slight smell of undiluted vinegar he used to disinfect.

"Veux-tu m'épouser?"

He straightens up quickly and his eyes snap open as the memory comes back. Fucking hell. Holy fucking hell. Shitty motherfucking hell.

Did he really fucking ask Zoro to marry him?

"Oh fuck," he groans. He did. He told Zoro he loved him. He asked Zoro to marry him.

He asked if Zoro loved him, too.

"That is so fucking pathetic," he mutters, remembering the warm happiness he felt when Zoro said yes. The shitty swordsman obviously didn't know what the fuck Sanji was talking about.

They've only been dating three months…is that enough time to fall in love with somebody? Is he being a coward for not telling Zoro how he feels? He doesn't really care if Zoro doesn't say the words back. It would be nice, of course—shit, it would make him the happiest he's been a really long time—but he doesn't want the swordsman to say the words unless he means them.

No, what he's worried about is making the relationship awkward. He doesn't want Zoro to think things are going too fast and break up with him. He doesn't want Zoro to think Sanji is expecting him to feel the same way. He just wants for things to stay the way they are now.

And maybe, one day, he can get down on one knee and ask that question again. Hopefully sober that time.

It usually takes Zoro close to two hours to get to the Medicine Department in New World University, so he doesn't expect to make the trip in half the time and ends up arriving way too early to pick up Chopper. He decides to wait in the car for him, but after a while he gets restless and decides to walk around and check out the rest of Drum Valley. Besides, it doesn't hurt to learn the layout of the place where Chopper studies, right?

His feet ends up taking him to the Athletic Department, and he spends a little while watching the girls' basketball team before the sounds of wood hitting against wood attract him to the kendo club.

He's pleasantly surprised to see Saga teaching a class similar to the one he teaches at Koshiro's dojo. The dark-skinned man quickly catches sight of him and he smiles at Zoro before he turns to his students and instructs them to spar against each other.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Saga greets, smiling widely.

"I was picking up Chopper," Zoro shrugs. "Got here a little early."

"The buildings didn't move this time?" Saga smirks and then laughs when Zoro scowls. "My class is about to end. When does Chopper get off?"

"In like thirty minutes," Zoro says, glancing at his phone.

"Great. Come sit with me."

Zoro follows the other man to the front of the class and joins him on the floor. Zoro studies the students in front of him. They're all clearly beginners, though there are a few here and there that stand out.

"They're taking on extra training to make it to the Grand Line Tournament," Saga explains.

"Shit, that's coming up, right?" He had forgotten all about the Tournament. The last time he participated in it, Mihawk had let him split open. "Mihawk is gonna be there?"

"Only for the final rounds," Saga snorts. "He doesn't even bother showing up for the beginners anymore. I think you were the last rookie that he ever took on—or the first, who knows. He's a weird one."

Zoro grimaces at the memory. Sometimes, his scar still aches. He'd thought he was so ready back then, his confidence thriving in ignorant stupidity. He thought just because no one had ever defeated him in the underground fights, he could take on the world's best.

But now he knows better. He's getting stronger, training every day to get better. And he knows he was improving. Sanji defeated him again the last time they sparred but the blonde had struggled. And as soon as he's strong enough to defeat Sanji, he can consider facing Mihawk again.

"Are you gonna try out?" Saga asks, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"For the Tournament? I don't know. Maybe," Zoro shrugs.

"You probably have a lot of free time now that Chopper is in college," Saga says. "So you definitely have the time to train."

"That's not a problem. The cook can watch Chopper if I ever need him too," Zoro says.

"Wait…you're still together?" Saga asks, the level of surprise in his voice a bit insulting.

"Yeah, why wouldn't we be?" Zoro frowns.

"No, no reason," Saga says, but snorts and mutters something off to the side.

Zoro sighs and crosses his arms. "We're not breaking up any time soon, Saga. And even if we did, you and I aren't getting back together."

"Yeah right," Saga scoffs. "I mean, I get you and me not happening. But not breaking up with Sanji? Is he you the one, then?" he says, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

"I don't know," Zoro replies honestly. "And it's not any of your business."

"Maybe not. But I never thought you stupid enough to fall into such fake contentment," Saga says. "Are you seriously expecting anything more from your relationship with that guy? I mean, he's a fucking world famous chef, Zoro. And you're a single dad who works as a waiter in his restaurant. Ever heard of equality?"

Zoro blushes hotly and glares at the other man. "Stuff like that doesn't matter. Sanji doesn't care—."

"Of course he doesn't," Saga interrupts, snorting. "He's the one holding all the cards. You're the one that has to climb up to his level. I mean, shit Zoro, not to be mean, but what are you doing? You and I, we had some sort of future planned. At least, until our paths separated with Chopper. But what's your plan with Sanji? Keep living in his house, driving his car, working in his restaurant? What's gonna happen ten years from now when Chopper is old enough that he won't be around to be your common ground? When the sex starts getting repetitive and you look around and realize that after this whole time, you're not a person anymore. You're just Sanji's boyfriend."

Zoro hears a cracking sound and realizes he gripped his phone tight enough to crack the screen. He doesn't even have the mind to care. He's too pissed off. He wants to punch the fuck out of Saga. He wants to scream at him and slap him around. He wants to tell him that he's wrong, that Zoro is too fucking ambitious to be someone's shadow. He's the man who's gonna become the next World's Greatest Swordsman.

"You know, five years ago, you wouldn't even have hesitated to fight in the Tournament," Saga says quietly. "As soon as you'd heard the word 'Mihawk', you would have hit the training mat and spent hours—days even—working your ass off."

"Fuck you," Zoro growls, finally finding his words and ignoring the truth of those words. "I have a son to think about. But you never could understand now, could you?"  
He doesn't wait for an answer, getting to his feet and rushing out. Before he can leave, however, Saga calls out one more time.

"You're not gonna be able to use Chopper as an excuse forever, Zoro!"

If there were a door, Zoro would have slammed it close. As it is, he doesn't realize where he is, too pissed off to pay attention to his feet, until his phone starts ringing. He looks down at it, surprised it's still working despite the cracked screen.

It's Chopper. Zoro quickly answers and brings the phone up to his hear, ignoring the sandy feel of the broken glass.

"Dad, where are you? I can see the car, but you're not around."

"Ah…I'm…near a bridge," Zoro says, spying the short bridge a few steps away. "There's a tall clock tower behind me."

"What? That's all the way in the other—never mind. Just wait there, I'll come to you."

"Alright," Zoro says, not even bothering to argue. He doesn't have the head for it. Instead, he walks up to the bridge and sits down, leaning his back against the supporting post.  
Saga's words echo in his mind despite his attempt at meditation. He knows Saga is wrong—of course he's wrong—but the words won't leave.

You know, five years ago, you wouldn't even have hesitated to fight in the Tournament.

Zoro scowls and glares at the ground. Those words are true. But it's also true that Zoro doesn't have the same freedom as he did before. He has Chopper now. And Chopper is more important than anything. Zoro doesn't have the luxury to be reckless, to confront Mihawk and risk dying again. He has to be there for Chopper.

You're not gonna be able to use Chopper as an excuse forever, Zoro!

He growls and takes out his phone again, unlocking it with a quick swipe of his thumb. He dials one of his most recent calls and Koshiro answers at the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Is the dojo large enough to be eligible to participate in the Grand Line Tournament?"

"…yes. We hit the requirements thirty students ago."

"And have you decided on all of the representatives?"

There's a longer pause, then "I think we can make room for one more."

"Thank you, Sensei."

"Any time, son."

Chopper finds him quickly enough after that, and leads him back to the car. Zoro knows he has to fix the screen on his phone, especially after he cuts his thumb and Chopper makes a big deal out of it. He also doesn't want to have to explain why he has a broken phone to Sanji.

And it also gives them the chance to buy Sanji's gift.

Chopper leads him to the store where Sanji bought the phone in the first place, and he's not surprised to find out the cook bought insurance for it. He probably knew Zoro would break it at one point or other. The guy behind the counter tells him Zoro has two options: either get a brand new phone, or just get the screen fixed on his. Fixing the screen only takes a couple of hours, so he goes with that one.

He gets a text from Sanji before he turns the phone off and sends a quick reply back and then gives it to the guy. After that, he and Chopper start looking for a gift to buy.

Zoro finds a silver lighter that's shaped like a fish. Chopper immediately turns that down, telling him he's trying to convince Sanji to stop smoking.

Yeah, good luck with that.

After that, they try looking at shoes. Zoro already knows Sanji's size, but he has no idea about his taste. And Chopper only wants to get sensible tennis shoes. So that's a no, too.  
Zoro has no idea how Sanji could find the perfect gift. He knew to get Zoro his earrings, and they're so fucking perfect, Zoro hasn't taken them off since. The cook said that he just saw them, and instantly knew they would fit Zoro…but everywhere he goes, there's nothing that pops out at him.

Chopper finds the perfect cologne, something woodsy and spicy. It's nothing like the stuff Sanji usually gets since the cook likes to smell sweet and fruity, but when Zoro smells it, he thinks of Sanji cooking, his hips swaying as he hums one of Zeff's old songs, the type he says he hates but always sings when cooking. He can even picture the pink apron Chopper got him for his Christmas, tied around his waist while he only wears boxers underneath.

"Want more coffee, marimo?"

The image gives him a strange, aching sensation but it smells really good, so he buys it for Chopper to give to Sanji.

"Can't we go eat something?" Chopper whines, his belly growling. "Please?"

"Sure," Zoro says, knowing Sanji will be more upset if Zoro lets Chopper be hungry than if Zoro lets him eat fast food.

"Yay! I saw an Applebee's near here," Chopper says, leading the way. "Let's go eat."

What the hell can he give Sanji? Buying something for the kitchen kind of seems useless now, since the cook literally has everything. He knows Vivi and Nami bought him a suit …should he get him a tie? God, that's such a bad idea Zoro kind of wants to punch himself in the face.

Wait, isn't Kid getting him a tie? Maybe he should punch Kid in the face; the guy does owe him.

Maybe cufflinks? Sanji has a bunch of them, and he spends quite a while picking out the right ones to wear. Zoro can get him some personalized ones, maybe with a curls inside, to match the eyebrow.

He grins; that actually doesn't sound that bad. Sanji will probably kick him in the face, but he'll like them. He looks up about to tell the Chopper his idea, but there's no one there.  
Did they he get lost? Holy shit, he lost his kid. This isn't the first time Chopper has gotten lost, but Sabaody is a lot bigger than a department store. And he doesn't have his phone to call him.

Maybe it's better if Zoro goes to the restaurant and asks to use their phone. He looks around to ask for directions, but this area looks strangely empty. There's only a couple of people walking around, and the stores all seem smaller, shabbier. Is he in the poorer side of Sabaody? Does Sabaody even have a poor side? Well, every city has their downside. Zoro shrugs and enters the shop closest to him, wrinkling his nose when the smell of wet carpet hits him.

The inside of the store is cramped and dark, since there's only a small window near the back. There are tall, wooden shelves everywhere, each one stuffed with the type of stuff you find in the attic of an old man's house. There's dust everywhere, and the carpet looks off-white—not the actual color, but the type of shade that happens when you don't clean your shit.

How is this place still open?

"Can I help you?"

Zoro jumps and turns to stare at the surprisingly young girl behind him. She has long, blue hair and wide, green eyes, a couple of shades lighter than Zoro's. She looks to be maybe fifteen? She's kind of cute, like Chopper type of cute, not Sanji cute.

"What do you want, old man?" she snaps, rolling her eyes at him.

Okay, not Chopper cute. Not cute at all. More like an annoying Sanji.

"I'm looking for the Applebee's. My son said it was near here," Zoro snaps back.

"Applebee's? That's like ten streets east," the girls scoffs. "Are you lost, broccoli?"

"Hey, it's marimo, brat—shit, it's Zoro. My name is Zoro," Zoro growls, running a hand through the offending hair. "And I'm not lost."

"Hmph. So are you gonna buy something or not?"

Zoro gives another cursory glance around the store. "Who would buy shit here, it's all—."

He stops, mouth open. Slowly, he walks past the girl, towards the tall armoire in the back. The doors are open, and small trinkets line the shelves inside.  
Glued to a clunky, grimy square piece of wood, there's a small crystal orb. It looks like one of those tacky ones you find in souvenir shops, the ones that are made out of plastic and have the state's name printed on the bottom.

But this is one is made of glass—dirty with grime, but glass. And inside, glowing like trapped lighting, is a blue stone submerged in water. The way it's made, the way it shines in the light—it looks like someone trapped the luminescent water from that December night.

"How much is that?" Zoro murmurs, touching the orb and yeah, it feels grimy, dirty, but it's nothing a good scrubbing won't clean. And it's not clear, like Zoro thought, but a blue-greenish color. The water is the only thing that's clear—strikingly so.

"That? Hmm…I don't know. It's one of my grandmother's old stuff. Got it in a box after she passed…how about five thousand Beri? For sentimental value, of course," the girl adds, grinning.

There's no way that thing costs five thousand Beri. Zoro can probably by a glass globe from Wal-Mart, stick a blue stone inside, and fill it up with water from his pool—but he doubts it would look the same.

"Two thousand Beri. Cash," Zoro says firmly. "Look at it: the base is falling off, the glass is all dirty…no one is gonna buy it for more."

"You're lucky I hated my grandmother," the girl grins. "Pay up, marimo."

This is nothing compared to what Sanji has done for him, so he quickly hands the girl the money. The girl looks at him like he's an idiot as he puts the snow globe in his pocket—and he feels like an idiot, too—but the money has made her nicer, so she explains the way to the nearest Applebee's.

It takes him a little less than an hour to find the Applebee's, but at least he finds Chopper waiting for him inside.

"I already ordered for you," Chopper says, moving his bag out of the way so Zoro can sit down.

"I found Sanji's gift.

"Really?" Chopper asks excitedly. "Well, let's see it."

Zoro scowls as he pulls out the ratty snow glove and shows it to him. Fuck, it looks even stupider now in better lighting.

"It's…nice?" Chopper tries.

"It looks like shit," Zoro says flatly.

"It's just dirty," Chopper says. He grabs one of the cloth napkins from the table and dabs it with water from his cup. He grabs the globe firmly and scrubs it hard with the napkin.

The globe ends up falling from the square base, but at least it makes it easier to clean. And with all of the grime gone, the pebble shines brighter.

"Wow…it really looks like the ocean," Zoro whispers and Chopper nods, remembering that night.

"You know...there's a blacksmith shop near here," Chopper suggests softly. "We can get them to make a base for it. Something pretty."

That seems like a good idea. It'll make it look a little fancier, at least. They're food gets there quickly, probably since Chopper ordered it as soon as he got to the restaurant, so they don't take too long eating.

The blacksmith assures Zoro that he can make a base for it

"And how quickly can you have it done? I need it in two weeks," Zoro explains.

"We can have it done in five days…you can pick it up on Friday, if you so want," the man shrugs. "We should be able to give you a more accurate price by then, too. But I doubt it will go over a thousand."

"Dad…what are you thinking?" Chopper asks as Zoro examines the sketch the man did for him.

Something like that…it will look gorgeous.

"Okay."

Sanji is excited.

Despite turning twenty-seven today, he feels like a little kid on his way to his birthday party at Peter Piper Pizza. And it's not just because he can see the gifts Zoro and Chopper bought him wrapped neatly in white paper in the back seat. Well…not entirely.

It's mostly because everyone is going to be at the Baratie tonight, celebrating him. It's not just going to be him and Zeff sharing a plate of cake anymore. Zoro and Chopper are going to be there. Nami and Vivi. Robin and Franky. Everyone!

"You're bouncing like a little kid, love cook," Zoro laughs.

"Love cook…that's a new one," Sanji hums. "I like it. Better than shit cook. Truer, too."

"You're still a shit cook," Zoro says good-naturedly.

They're the lasts ones to arrive, partly because the birthday boy is always supposed to be last, and mostly because Sanji did spent quite a while in his closet, picking the perfect suit.

When he, Chopper, Zoro walk inside, hand in hand, everyone stands up and cheers. Sanji can't keep the smile off his face as he accepts the congratulations and cheers from everybody. Zeff has closed the restaurant for the night, so only Sanji's friends and the Baratie's workers are present.

"Happy birthday, Sanji!" Luffy yells loudest of all. "Thank you for inviting me!"

"Of course, Luffy. We're friends, right?" Sanji grins.

"Yes!" Luffy declares. "We're nakama!"

"What's nakama?" Sanji asks Zoro quietly as the rubber boy moves to talk to Law.

"It's like friends, but more," Zoro tries to explain. "Like best friends, but more. You give your life for nakama."

"Oh."

Well, what can you say to that? Sanji bites his lips and silently promises to cook Luffy the biggest, juiciest slab of Sea King meat he can find.  
Sanji spends a good hour greeting everyone. He can hear Zeff's music through the speakers, and the comforting sounds of a busy kitchen behind the closed doors, so he leaves Zoro talking to Bonney and Law and heads to the back.

"Happy birthday, Sanji!" Jenny is the first to greet, rushing to hug him.

"My sweet Jenny, what are you doing back here? Don't tell me these brutes have you working on your day off? And you too, my dearest Jessica!" Sanji exclaims, accepting a hug from the blonde woman.

"It's our birthday present to you, Sanji," Jessica smiles. "Besides, my husband's always wanted to come eat here. Did you meet him?"

"I met him," Sanji nods, thinking back to the mustached man. Deceptively goofy, the man is a dangerous Marine. Robin warned Sanji about him.

"So you left your friends alone Eggplant? Well, help me serve the food already," Zeff snaps, shoving a platter of plates in his hands.

Sanji manages to keep them from crashing on the ground, and sneers at the older cook. "Not even a hello, shitty old geezer? And can't you turn off that crap for once?"

"No. Now get the hell out!"

Sanji scoffs, but he's in too good a mood to make a scene. Instead, he shoulders the platter of food and follows Jessica and Jenny out as they serve their guests. Lester has taken over the piano and is playing a soft, melodious song that compliments the soft patter of conversation. Zeff has kept the lights dimmed, but each table is decorated with a candlelit centerpiece.

They're a small party, so the only tables being used are the ones closest to the piano. Zoro and Ace got two tables together, and all of Sanji's friends had been accommodated around it, from Luffy to Marco.

"Sit down, Eggplant," Zeff tells him as Sanji serves the families of the other cooks. "Your friends have a surprise for you."

"Do they now?" Sanji murmurs, letting Zeff take the tray of bubbling champagne from his hands.

Zoro has saved him a spot between him and Chopper, across the table from Nami. When Sanji sits down, the group raise their glasses and cheer for him.

"Twenty-seven years, Sanji!" Franky exclaims loudly, downing his glass. "And the best goddamn cook in all of New World!"

"Hey, I resent that!" Carne yells from across the room, only to get smacked down by Jessica.

"Well, I didn't get to cook tonight," Sanji grins. "But it's still edible."

"This is delicious!" Chopper exclaims, munching on his chicken. "Almost as good as yours!"

"Nothing is ever as good as Sanji's!" Luffy grins.

Sanji blushes under the praise—it's not news, but it's always nice to be recognized for what you've worked hard to accomplish. They eat in companionable conversation. Everyone gushes over Koala and Robin, especially since Robin is starting to show a little bit. Robin's first ultrasound is in three weeks, and she promises Sanji can come with her. Koala's is a week after that, and Sanji doesn't know who's more excited about it: the expectant parents, or Ace and Luffy.

Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp start acting like children—Chopper actually has the excuse of being one—and coerce Franky and Ace into a loud song. The whole thing is nothing fancy, just friends and family talking and joking about, but it's one of Sanji's best birthdays ever. He can't possibly think of anything that will make it better—at least until everyone starts clamoring for Sanji to open his gifts.

"Mine first!" Chopper exclaims excitedly, running to the table that holds all of the gifts to take out his. He runs back to Sanji, but stops shorts of handing him the small present. Suddenly, he looks very shy and hesitant. "Sanji…I didn't really know what to get you, because you're really hard to shop for. And it's not because you're picky or anything, because my Dad gave you a Tupperware lid for Christmas and it was, like, your favorite gift ever, but…I just couldn't find anything that seemed good enough. I'm really happy my Dad met you and not because of your food or your money, or anything like that—but because you make my Dad really happy, and you're always taking care of me. I really love you, Sanji, and I'm really happy it's your birthday."

"Chopper…" Sanji whispers, and gladly accepts the tight hug Chopper gives him. Shit, he really loves this kid. "I love you, too, Chopper," he murmurs into the sandy curls, and feels Chopper's arms tighten around him.

Chopper finally lets go and hands him the small gift, which turns out to be a bottle of cologne. Zoro ruffles his son's hair and smiles at him, and Franky, Carne, and Patty burst into tears.

"Well, Chopper has set the bar pretty high, hasn't he?" Robin murmurs, but her voice carries. She stands up and walks over to get her present, a large box wrapped in baby blue paper.

"Sanji…all of all your friends, I have the privilege of having met you first. You are there when I met my husband, you where there when I married him, and you will be there when our first child is born. I never expected to find my first and dearest friend in the young high school student that flirted with me—terribly, I might add—during that faithful Career Day at school, but I'm glad I did. Because now, in such an important moment in my life, I want to ask you for yet another favor. Sanji…would you like to be our son's godfather?"

Sanji's mouth hits the ground. "Holy shit—are you joking with me? Robin, shit—of course I would love to! Oh my god!" He jumps up from his seat and wraps Robin in a warm, grunting when he feels Franky's metal arms wrap around the two of them and lift them off the ground, crying the whole time.

Godfather! He's going to be a godfather! This is like, the best news he has ever heard! The fact that Robin trusts him enough, finds him a good enough friend to trust her child to  
Sanji…it almost brings tears to his eyes.

Each person that gives him a gift has a small speech for him, often talking about how much they care for Sanji or how he has changer their lives. Luffy talks about his cooking of course, and Nami talks about her change of heart concerning him. Kaya recounts their first meeting, about how he offered to help Chopper, and Kid jokes about their time at Iva's.  
But when it's Zoro's turn, the green-haired swordsman only hands him a perfectly wrapped gift and sits back down, beer in hand.

"Aren't you gonna say anything, moron?" Nami snaps, slapping his arm, but Zoro only grunts.

It's not like Sanji expected a heartfelt love confession, but…well, he expected something. Zoro isn't a man of many words, but he can at least sayHappy Birthday, Sanji. It's not asking for much, right?

Sanji sighs and unwraps the gift, raising an eyebrow when he sees the plain, black jewelry box, the words Jousue & Son written in cursive, gold writing in the middle. Did Zoro get him a necklace?

Now confused more than ever, he opens the box, and gasps.

It's like Zoro has trapped All Blue in a little glass ball for him. A delicate, metal stand holds the orb, the metal curling and twisting like the waves of the ocean. Staring at it, Sanji feels like he's been transported back to that night—the night when All Blue gave him hope, when it gave him the strength to fight back against the hunger that ate at him.

And now that sea is in his hands…thanks to Zoro.

He scrambles out of his seat to hug the other man, burying his face in Zoro's neck as tears prick his eyes. Zoro's arms wrap around him and hug him just as tight, hands rubbing soft circles in his back.

"Goddamn it, Zoro…" Sanji mumbles into Zoro's skin. "You're so un-fucking-fair." He leans back to see Zoro's confused expression, but Sanji ignores it and plants a soft kiss to the man's lips, sighing into it. Just when he thinks he can't fall deeper in love, Zoro pulls shit like this. "I love it."

I love you.

Zoro smiles at him and his hands move down to tug on Sanji's, and getting the message, Sanji takes the seat next to him.  
The next person up is Zeff, though Sanji is surprised to see him stand up and walk towards the now almost-empty gift table. Usually, Zeff's gifts are not physical. In fact, Sanji thought this dinner had been Zeff's gift.

"You finally got me something, old man?" Sanji asks, smirking. "It's gonna be tough to beat Zoro's gift, you know."

"It's not a gift," Zeff snaps. "More like good news. Now, are you gonna shut up, so I can give them to you?"

Good news? But Zeff looks like he's holding a leather portfolio in his hands…isn't that Sanji's gift?

"What is it?" he asks.

Zeff opens up the portfolio and takes out a piece of paper, holding it up for Sanji to see. "I've been planning on opening another restaurant…but I had problems finding the right location. Your friend Robin told me about a couple of acres that opens up in Raftel…the title deeds came in yesterday, and I was thinking…maybe you would like to take over the construction of the new restaurant."

"Raftel…?"

Raftel, better known as The End of the World, lies at the edge of New World. One of the many reasons for its fame is its exquisite cuisine. If you can make it in Raftel, you can make it anywhere. But the prosperous city is famous as a tourist attraction, mainly because the Government is very picky about who settles there.

Zeff is handing him rights to a new restaurant—Sanji's very own restaurant. And in Raftel of all places. Sanji has been dreaming of opening his own place for ages, ever since he was little. And it doesn't even matter that Raftel is prestigious…Sanji couldn't care less about that. But Raftel is the only other city in the world other than Lvneel in North Blue that borders All Blue.

As a matter of fact, Raftel had been The Orbit's destination.

"Zeff…are you sure?" Sanji whispers, eyes on the title deeds.

"Happy Birthday, son," Zeff says in lieu on an answer

That manages to spill the tears he's trying to hold back. He feels his eyes burn, his lip quiver, and his hands shake. Fuck that shitty old man.

"T-thank you so much, Zeff," Sanji murmurs, taking the portfolio from the man's hands. "I'm not gonna let you down."

"I know, Eggplant."

Sanji nods stiffly, not bothering to hide his tears. Zoro grabs his hand and runs a comforting thumb on his palm. Sanji leafs through the portfolio, but it's empty except for the title deeds. It doesn't matter. Sanji still remembers the worn portfolio that had housed the plans to build the Baratie.

Hmm. He needs to think up a name for his new restaurant, but he still has time.

"You're gonna open a restaurant?" Luffy gasps excitedly, salivating as he looks at Sanji. "I want to eat there!"

"Once it's built, I'll let you eat there," Sanji promises, beaming. "All you can eat—but only once a year, rubber man!"

"Yes! Sanji's the best!"

"I know it's going to be amazing, because it's going to be yours, Sanji!" Chopper says, smiling widely.

"And you know I'll be glad to help if you need a construction crew," Franky beams.

"And as East Blue's best banker, I'll be more than glad to help you manage your expenses! For a small fee, of course," Nami adds.

"I know a couple of families in Raftel," Vivi says thoughtfully. "It won't hurt to start talking hype about your new place."

"Thanks, everyone," Sanji smiles. "For right now, I just need to plan out everything…building a restaurant takes time, you know…it took us about a year to open the Baratie…but once I need it, I'll be more than glad to accept your help."

His very own restaurant. He probably needs to borrow Zeff's old business plan to help him outline his own. He needs to go check out the location, the neighboring businesses, the type of customers he will be serving. He also needs to decide what kind of restaurant he wants. Baratie focuses mostly on North Blue cuisine, since that is where Zeff learned most of his skills, but Sanji is also proficient in cuisine from Alabasta, Dressrosa, Zou, West Blue and a couple of other places.

He's so excited he feels himself shaking. It's not a floating restaurant on All Blue like he imagined…but it's as close as he can get to his dream.

He will make Zeff proud.


	15. Chapter 15

Tournament season is drawing near. Koshiro has been spending a lot of time traveling, trying to coordinate with the other dojo masters and set up a couple of practice matches before the placing matches start in late April.

Despite Zoro being the strongest swordsman working under Koshiro, Teiga is put in charge. A little bit because he has seniority over Zoro, but mostly because Zoro cannot afford to focus all of his time in the dojo. It's the same reason why he doesn't help out with more classes. That, and he's using most of his free time to train for his upcoming battle with Mihawk. He's sure he won't defeat the man, but fighting him will be a good way of knowing how much he still has to advance.

As much as Zoro is working at the dojo, Sanji is working on his restaurant.

The cook spends most of his free time outlining his business plan, sometimes referencing Zeff's work on the Baratie. Zoro doesn't know the details, but from what Sanji has shared with him, he's working on the theme of the restaurant.

They have Sabo's birthday on Thursday—Sanji's offered to provide the food for the party, even though he's busy enough as it is—and then Sanji wants them to go check out the land lot in Rafter on Sunday. They're both busily working towards their goals. Chopper is doing great at New World University, and has his first CLEP Exam scheduled for mid-April, since he's planning on bypassing some of his classes. Work at the Baratie is going great. His sex life is so amazingly mind-blowing, it's unreal.

And yet, Zoro can't help but feel like crap.

He's so out of it, in fact, that he doesn't notice that Johnny is about to let the barbell crush his lungs. Yosaku steps in at the last moment, grabbing the heavy weights before Johnny's arms give out, and Zoro startles.

"Shit, sorry!" he exclaims, taking the weights from Yosaku. "Johnny, man, are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, Zoro-bro," Johnny gasps out, clutching at his chest.

"What's wrong, Zoro-bro? You've spacing out since this morning," Yosaku frowns, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, you didn't even finish your reps before you offered to spot for Johnny," Yosaku nods.

Zoro sighs. He's not one to talk about his problems with others. He usually prefers to cut the source of said problem out of his life, but that doesn't exactly work in this situation. Still, he's not about to go whining like a bitch to Johnny and Yosaku, of all people.

"I'm fine. Didn't sleep well, that's all."

His friends seem to believe the excuse and soon return to their lifting. Zoro crosses his legs and closes his eyes, letting his body fall into deep relaxation. Maybe meditation will help him solve this problem.

Sanji is leaving. That's a fast-approaching fact. Once the restaurant is built, maybe even before that, Sanji will leave for Raftel. Zoro doesn't doubt it for a second. There's no way  
Sanji will let another chef command his dream restaurant, let someone else call the shots after he puts in all the work.

And so, Zoro's stuck. Because once Sanji leaves, Zoro will have two options: stay or go.

If he goes with Sanji, he will have to leave the dojo behind. He will have to let Chopper stay in the University dorms. Raftel is a three-day drive away. Zoro would be uprooted from his life, taken out of his comfort zone, where the only familiar face will be Sanji. He will have to put a hold on his dreams and help Sanji's achieve his. He will have to step back and let the cook flourish.

What happens if you look around and realize that after this whole time, you're not a person anymore?

He can always stay. Break it off with Sanji, call it a good day, and go on with his life. Without Sanji. Without sharp insults and even sharper kicks. Without the smell of smoke. Without golden hair to run his finger through or pale skin to caress. Without swaying hips, or bright smiles. If he stays, he will never be allowed to view the captivating image of a bare Sanji, sweaty and flushed, eyes bright and cool, skin bathed in moonlight.

Isn't there a third option?

He rouses from meditation without finding a solution. Maybe he should talk to Sanji about it. He doesn't want to tamper the cook's excitement, but it's better to take care of it now, than later when it came come off as an unpleasant surprise.

Sabo's party arrives faster than Zoro expected, but it provides a nice distraction. It's a small grill party, nothing overly fancy since Sabo doesn't really like that type of stuff.  
He invited his brothers of course, as well as Nami, Vivi, Usopp, Kaya, Zoro, Sanji, and not that surprisingly, Franky and Robin.

"That kid of yours is gonna make it big, Zoro," Sabo tells him as he stares at Chopper playing with Luffy and Usopp in the back yard. "You've done a great job with him."

"He practically raised himself," Zoro shrugs. "I just helped him out whenever I can."

"It's great that he gets along with Sanji so well," Ace comments. "Not like Saga."

"The only reason why Sanji even paid attention to me is because of Chopper," Zoro says. "Chopper likes him a lot."

He turns his head to peek at Sanji, who's working in the kitchen. Sanji is working on a new recipe he got from a restaurant in Dressrosa, something about drunken beans. Kaya is making the salad, and Vivi is working on cutting up all of the vegetables that they're going to grill. Outside, Nami and Robin are watching over the heating grill while Usopp and Franky entertain Luffy and Chopper.

"Talking about kids, I wanted to ask you something, Zoro," Sabo says, leaning in closer. He puts his beer down and stares at Zoro seriously. Zoro notices the mood shift and puts down his beer too, giving all of his attention to Sabo. "Koala and I have been thinking a lot about the future of a child, despite how early in her pregnancy we are. With our jobs as Revolutionaries, we know that we don't lead the safest of lives. I'm lucky enough to have two wonderful brothers that I know will give their lives to protect my future child if anything were to happen to me and Koala. But Ace is with Whitebeard, and while Luffy would make a wonderful uncle, he's not ready to take care of a child anywhere in the near future. I know this is asking for much…but would you consider being my child's godfather and legal guardian?"

Zoro blinks, his mouth open. He didn't expect this…yeah, he and Sabo are good friends, but Zoro has always been closest to Luffy. "I…I mean, I would love to, but are you sure? What does Koala think?"

"Koala is fine with it," Sabo shrugs. "We decided we would each pick someone, and I picked you. Koala is going to ask Nami. She was thinking about Robin, but—."

"Robin's in the Army, too," Zoro nods.

"Exactly."

"I guess that's why Robin chose Sanji," Ace murmurs. "Instead of Koala or you."

Sabo snorts. "Sanji is just as dangerous as Koala or me. Robin simply picked her best friend."

"But Sanji isn't in the Army," Zoro frowns.

"No, he isn't," Sabo agrees. "But if he is who I think he is, then he's practically a member already."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know how much work he's done for Robin?"

Zoro frowns, confused. "I guess so? I mean, Sanji told me he used to fight in the rings when he was younger, and he did a couple of odd jobs for Robin, but he got out of there once the Baratie hit it off. He still does the odd favor for Robin, but the last one was like four months ago."

"Yeah, odd job doesn't actually cover it," Sabo snorts. "I mean, I never knew it was Sanji until I met him, but everyone knows of Robin's little helper. She never wanted to reveal his name, though, always calling him Mr. Prince…Dragon didn't push it since Sanji always delivers. He went deep undercover during the battle in Centaurea, his Intel was the advantage we needed to win the war there. And he's the one who gave us the information on Tequila Wolf, where we rescued all of those slaves."

"Wait, did you say Mr. Prince?" Marco asks sharply. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, though I hear he goes by Black Leg here."

"If he really is Mr. Prince, then we've had a couple of run-ins with him, too," Ace murmurs, eyeing Sanji. The blonde is oblivious to their conversation, happily talking to Vivi and Kaya as he moves to season and cut the meat.

"He's a big name underground-yoi," Marco agrees, looking at Zoro. "Not much in East Blue and Paradise—you and Luffy get the fame here. I never actually met him, but he fought against Namur and won."

"There is a rumor that he infiltrated one of the big-name gangs in Little Garden a couple of years ago, though. It dissolved within five months."

"You mean the Red Dots?" Marco asks, and Ace nods. "Over in the Red Line?"

"Red Dots? They were involved with the Tequila Wolf slavery ring," Sabo frowns. "They dealt in the trafficking. Brought in the most numbers, mostly women."

Marco whistles, and even Ace looks impressed. "You got yourself a dangerous one, there-yoi," Marco tells Zoro. "He plays in the big leagues."

"He didn't go into much detail when he talked about it," Zoro murmurs, staring at Sanji. He's impressed. Fuck yeah, Whitebeard's number one and two, not to mention Dragon's number one, have just called Sanji impressive.

He realizes in that moment that he's still nowhere near the cook's level.

"Haven't heard any news about him lately, though," Sabo says.

"Yeah, the last I heard of him was last May," Ace says. "He leaked out some really private information about Marineford to the Four Emperors."

"That was a while ago, maybe even before we met," Zoro murmurs. "Robin probably gave him the information."

"I never thought I'd get to meet him. My respects," Sabo says.

Zoro smirks. "Don't tell him that; he'll get a huge head—it's bad enough everyone talks like his food is heavenly."

"It is heavenly!" Ace exclaims. "Don't even pretend it isn't!"

"Oi, you guys get off your fat-asses and help these lovely ladies carry the food outside. I'm about to start grilling the meat," Sanji calls from the kitchen.

"Sanji, did you make me a fancy cake like the one you did Chopper?" Sabo asks, jumping to his feet to go bother the cook. "Did you?"

"Yes, it's in the fridge—don't look! Koala wants it to be surprise," Sanji says, smacking Sabo's hand away from the fridge with a foot. "Get those platters of ribs out. Ace, you think you can keep Luffy away from the meat, at least until I cook it?"

"Might need help. Marco, baby, wanna help?" Ace grins, looking down at his boyfriend.

"If he starts biting my fingers again, I'm just turning into a phoenix and letting him burn-yoi," Marco warns, but follows Ace.

Zoro stands up to grab another beer from the fridge. Vivi grabs a couple of bowls containing guacamole, mashed potatoes, and grilled onions and takes them outside. Kaya is preparing a salad.

"Marimo, come taste this," Sanji says, stirring the beans he has cooking on low. "Tell me what you think."

Zoro accepts the spoonful Sanji offers, groaning a little in pleasure when the taste of simmered beans and bacon cooked in beer touches his tongue. "I like them. Could do with a little more beer, though."

"Everyone but you would get drunk, then," Sanji snorts. "They're just about ready. We can snack on these while the meat and vegetables grill. Take it outside? And be careful, 'cause it's hot."

"I got it, mom," Zoro says, rolling his eyes. Sanji kicks his shin, and moves to start preparing drinks.

The simmered beans are a hit, and Koala makes Sanji promise he will make them again as soon as she and Robin can drink alcohol. There's an abundance of beer and—thanks to Luffy—Sanji doesn't run out of meat to cook.

"Luffy, will you stop stuffing your mouth?" Nami yells, trying to protect her chicken leg from the rubber boy.

"But Nami—!"

"Stop!"

"You think if Luffy hadn't eaten the Gum Gum Fruit, he would still eat as much?" Chopper wonders, watching the boy stretch out of Nami's clutches to try and steal Vivi's food.

"Have you seen Ace eat?" Marco snorts, nodding to the sleeping narcoleptic.

"Is Sabo the only one who doesn't stuff his mouth?" Franky asks, and the others nod.

A new song starts, and this one is one Zoro recognizes from Zeff's location. It's one of Sanji's favorites, the only one he admits to liking out loud.

"I love this song!" Sanji exclaims from the grill. "Kaya, would you like to dance with me? Franky, come man the grill."

Kaya giggles and accepts Sanji's outstretched hand. The cook leads her to the open floor, and as they start to dance, Sanji starts to sing.

Fly me to the moon  
Let me play among the stars  
Let me see what spring is like  
On Jupiter and Mars  
In other words, hold my hand  
In other words, baby, kiss me

Sanji's voice is soft, but it carries. He has wonderful voice, Zoro thinks as he watches the cook slow dance with Kaya. They're both graceful, gliding across the floor with elegance and poise.

Fill my heart with song  
And let me sing forever more  
You are all I long for  
All I worship and adore  
In other words, please be true  
In other words, I love you

"I should probably cut in before Kaya ends up falling in love with Sanji," Usopp jokes as the music takes over the song. He gets up from the table and cuts in the dance.  
Franky grabs Robin's hand and leads her forward. Koala drags Sabo, giggling as the blonde trips over his feet. Nami and Vivi both rise with grace, and since Ace is still asleep, Luffy drags Marco forward. Chopper jumps to his feet and joins Sanji, giggling when the blonde twirls him around.

Zoro opens another beer and watches them with a small smile. Despite the difference in height, Sanji still manages to move with grace while he dances with Chopper, still singing along with the song.

Fill my heart with song  
Let me sing forever more  
You are all I long for  
All I worship and adore  
In other words, please be true  
In other words, In other words,  
I love you

Sanji slows down as the song ends, but another one starts and Chopper starts dancing again. Sanji simply smiles and twirls him around again.

He has a future with Sanji. Saga was wrong. Looking at him right now, dancing around with Chopper, Zoro can see how easy it would be to fall in love with Sanji. All he needs to do is be around the cook a little more, and he's sure to fall.

Sanji's restaurant will only take around a year to be built. And there are dojos in Raftel as well. Zoro doesn't have to put his training on hold. They don't have to move until the restaurant is under construction, and Sanji doesn't even have the theme yet.

He doesn't know why he was so worried. He doesn't have to choose at all. His friends can still visit him. Zoro is sure any of his friends would be more than glad to let Chopper stay with them—and the boy can always come up to Raftel during school breaks.

Zoro smiles and downs the rest of his beer. He's staying with Sanji.

On Saturday, they leave for Raftel around three, and arrive at their hotel in time to go to bed.

They wake up before sunrise—at least, Sanji does and manages to convince Zoro out of bed with the promise a quickie in the shower. Needless to say, Sanji feels refreshed and ready to take on the world once they get out, and Zoro is left in a good moon.

"So what's the plan?" Zoro asks as they take the elevators down to the lobby.

"We're scouting," Sanji explains. "I need to check the location. There are many important factors to a successful restaurant, and one of the biggest is location. What kind of people shop there? What's my competition? Do I need to leave a space open for parking? What kind of businesses do I have around me? How big is the lot? How's the view? There are many factors that go into the success of a business."

"Did you guys do all of this for the Baratie?" Zoro asks curiously.

"We didn't plan as well as we could have," Sanji admits. "I think that's one of the reasons why it took so long for the Baratie to kick off."

"But you're a great chef. Once people eat your food, they'll be begging for more."

Sanji smiles and takes Zoro's hand. "People won't know the quality of food just by looking, mossy. And that's another thing; I need to build a reputation for myself. At the Baratie, everyone knows Zeff. Critiques mention the other cooks, but the name that goes on newspapers is Zeff's. Raftel is very big in reputation; if I come in big, it'll be easier for me."

"Hmm."

Raftel isn't only the food capital of the world. It's also the top leader in technology, entertainment, and culture. Its fashion industry leads the way for the rest of the world. There is nothing you cannot find in Raftel—for a price, of course.

Another lustrous industry in Raftel are their hotels. With the amount of tourists the city gets a year, you can find a hotel at every street. Sanji is able to find one a couple of blocks from the lot, so it's not a very long walk.

"I thought Raftel bordered All Blue," Zoro murmurs as they make their way down the streets.

"That's towards the north," Sanji explains, nodding in the correct direction.

Raftel is kind of a culture shock for most people, mainly because the city has slowly transformed into a potful of diversity. The part where they're at right now reminds Sanji a lot of his time in Dressrosa, with its stone houses, narrow streets, and picturesque views.

But as they get closer to their destination, the low, stone buildings start to transform into tall skyscrapers. This looks more like West Blue. And even though everything seems to be crowded together, Sanji doesn't get a cramped feeling.

"Well, I've only seen a couple of cars since we stepped out of the hotel. Most people prefer just to walk," Zoro says.

"We're getting closer," Sanji says, glancing down at the address Zeff gave him. "Look at that."

As they keep walking, the buildings open up to reveal a square plaza, and in the center, what looks like a farmer's market. The place is crowded, with people leisurely walking from stall to stall. Sanji can see stands selling fruits, grains, nuts, and more. Everywhere they look, it's clear that these people are used the high life. The standard of living in Raftel is way higher than in any other city, which is the reason why the Marines heavily control who gets to live there.

"Wow, this is neat," Sanji murmurs, looking around.

"Sir, try our fresh Fuji apples. Sweetest apples in the market!" a man exclaims, raising a red apple for Zoro to see. "Only twelve Beri the pot!"

"Try our carp! Fresh out of the sea!" another vendor says, almost placing the fish under Sanji's nose. "Better than those sour apples!"

"Eh? Shut up, Larson! Everyone knows to go down to the fish market for fish, you idiot!" the apple guy snaps, pushing Larson away. "You wanna try good fish? Go down to the market on the Valley. Wanna try good apples? Buy from me."

"So this isn't the only market?" Sanji asks curiously.

"Ah, tourists," Larson says knowledgeably and shares a strangely friendly smile with the guy he just insulted "How long have you guys been here?"

"We got here yesterday night," Zoro says. "And we leave tomorrow morning."

"And you're coming down to the produce market?" the apple vendor snorts. "Look, kids. There are a couple of markets in Raftel. You got your produce, which is here. Everything you can grow from the ground, you can find here. Then over at All Blue Valley, you got your meats: fishes, your birds, your grass-eaters…you can even find a couple of man-eaters. You can visit Little World, where you will find all those new gadgets young people are getting these days. Or you can head west and visit Upper Mil, where you'll get all those fancy shops that sell clothes and shoes and whatnot. And if you cross Arbil Bridge, you'll get to Nighton. It's a stand-alone island, but since the Marines build the bridge connecting it to Raftel, it's considered part of the city. That's where all the youngsters live, since most of the schools are up there. Real lively place."

"What about this address?" Sanji asks, showing him the piece of paper Zeff gave him. "What can you tell me about this place?"

"Oh, that's the Hilltop. It used to be a bunch of trees up there," Larson says, nodding up north. "But it was right smack in the middle of Raftel so them Marines decided to clear it up. They flattened it down a little to make it easier for people to climb up, then sold the land to a bunch of people. There's still a couple of empty lots, but a bunch of new shops just opened up."

"It's a nice place," the apple vendors adds. "Since it's right in the middle of Raftel, it has become a hubbub. There's this nice Dressrosa-themed restaurant up there, you guys  
should try it."

"Thanks for the info," Sanji says, taking out a couple of Beris to hand to the vendors.

"Thank you, blondie," Larson grins, pocketing the bills. "And trust me, La Perla is the finest restaurant you'll find up there!"

"So you got competition," Zoro says, waving back half-heartedly to the vendors. "You worried?"

"Not yet," Sanji shrugs. "You wanna go try their breakfast?"

"Sure."

Just like the vendors said, Hilltop is right in the middle of Raftel, connecting all the other neighborhoods. And just like the name implies, it used to be a hill top, but the Marines made it smaller. It's still kind of tall, but the steps surrounding the hill have become a type of meet-up place for the locals and tourist, so people don't seem to mind the small trek up.

Hilltop feels like a city of its own. There are museums, shops, cafes, apartments, banks, bars, clubs, hotels, and restaurants, making it Raftel's entertainment, nightlife, and commercial district. There are a couple of empty lots, but most of them are small, too small to build anything but a small stand.

"Can we stop to eat before checking out the lot?" Zoro asks as his stomach grumbles. "I'm pretty hungry."

"Yeah, sure," Sanji says, extending his hand out for Zoro to take. Not only does it stop the marimo from getting lost, but it feels nice to hold hands.

La Perla is one of the three restaurants in Hilltop. Like the vendors from before mentioned, it's a Dressrosa-themed restaurant, though the design is a bit more modern. They are greeted at the door and immediately seated, which gives them serious brownie points in Sanji's book.

"Do you guys take reservations?" Sanji asks the hostess.

"We do," she nods politely. "But we're still relatively new, so we don't get filled up. Most reservations are made in the second floor, though."

"Thank you," Sanji says and accepts the menu she hands out.

"Second floor? That sounds cool," Zoro mentions as they look over the menu.

"In theory, it is," Sanji shrugs. "But it causes too many problems. The biggest is food delivery. Do you build a kitchen in the second floor, or do you just have the one and send your waiters through the stairs? Having a bunch of waiters walking up and down the stairs causes traffic problems, which causes people to drop stuff, which causes customers to leave. And then you have the whole first-time customer mentality. When you go inside a new restaurant, you want to feel comfortable. If you don't, then you want to leave discreetly. But if you get put in the second floor, then there's no way to do that. Then you get customers that are demanding to be seated in the first floor, so you get full in the first floor while your second floor is empty."

"Huh…you could've just said they suck, but hey," Zoro shrugs and laughs when Sanji kicks at his ankle. "So you know what's good here?"

"Well, all the dishes are traditional Dressrosa recipes," Sanji says, reading over his menu. "They have those drunken beans I made for Sabo's birthday, but they don't put beer in them in the mornings."

"What's the point, then? Let me just get these egg-looking thing."

"You mean the omelette?"

"Why do I feel judged?"

"You're going for the omelette?" Sanji repeats, glaring. "Why not try the scrambled eggs with bread and chorizo?"

"What the hell is chorizo?"

"Just—you know what, you don't get to order. I'm ordering for you. I don't even know why I gave you the option," Sanji sighs, snatching the menu from Zoro's hand. "And check this out…we've been here for several minutes—no waiter!"

"Maybe they're waiting for us to decide on the meal…give us a little thinking time," Zoro shrugs.

"The first thing a good waiter should do is introduce himself," Sanji says. "Even if it is just to say hi, you should meet your waiter as soon as you get seated. Then they step back and give the customer time. That's what you do at the Baratie, right?"

"Yeah, otherwise Rebecca snaps at me," Zoro rolls his eyes. "And look, there's your waiter."

A man that looks to be around their age approaches them. He seems friendly enough and when he greets them, he makes sure to talk to both of them, not just focusing on Sanji or Zoro.

"Are you ready to order?" he asks, without introducing himself.

Sanji keeps his smile in place. This isn't his restaurant, he isn't going to chide their employees. "Yes. I'll have the scrambled eggs with sausage and simmered beans. He'll have the scrambled eggs with bread and chorizo, and coffee for both of us."

"Right away, sir." At least the waiter is polite and friendly. Just a little untrained, then.

The food doesn't take too long to arrive, another good point for the restaurant. The atmosphere is nice, friendly, and it reminds Sanji a lot of his visit to Dressrosa. Even the food, when Sanji bites into it, takes him back to those couple of weeks.

"This is really good," Zoro says, biting into his eggs enthusiastically. "Why haven't you made these for me before? Shit, they're really good."

"Everything in here seems good," Sanji agrees. "But…aren't you a bit disappointed?"

"What do you mean?" Zoro asks, confused.

"I mean…we're in Raftel. It's the freaking End of the World! But right here, it feels like I'm in Dressrosa. Like I'm going to step out and see a bull fight or something."

"But isn't that the point?" Zoro frowns. "Here in Raftel, you get culture from every part of the world. It's the place where you can eat food from Dressrosa, then turn around and visit a museum on West Blue culture. It's the world, all balled up."

Sanji wrinkles his brow. Zoro is right, but Sanji can't help but feel like something is missing. This…this isn't what he wants people to feel when eating in his restaurant.  
They finish up and take their leave, living a good tip for the waiter. They take their time getting to the empty lot, taking in the types of businesses in the area. There are coffee shops, movie theaters, opera houses, museums, parks, clubs, bars, bowling alleys…shit, there's everything.

"This really is like a city of its own," Zoro mumbles. "And we're getting closer to the edge."

"Yeah…this side faces the All Blue," Sanji says. "I guess the Marines didn't even out the land, because we've been on incline for a while, and this side is higher."

"Well, that looks like your lot, doesn't it?"

Sanji follows Zoro line of sight and nods. It's big. Bigger than the lots they have seen so far. It's about three times the size of the Baratie's lot, wider than it is long. It's right at the edge of the hilltop, with a bank on the right and a museum on the left. The area is well trafficked, with the Barrio Square across the street, with the city's largest fountain, the Ronion Castle Fountain in the center. A couple of the business owners tell them that during the night, the fountain is lighted with multiple-colored lights, creating a light show for the tourists. Because of the size of the square, along with the multiple gardens, museums, and galleries around the area, the square often becomes the gathering place for cultural shows.

"This is perfect," Sanji breathes out. "The location…You know how much traffic we're gonna get? And the size…I can make it twice as big as the Baratie!"

"Let's check out the view," Zoro says, tugging on his hand.

The lot is closed off with blue tarps, a big sign stating that it's private property covering the front gates. Sanji takes out the keys Zeff gave him and opens the big padlock locking the gates. He grabs Zoro's hand as they get closer to hill's edge, gasping.

Holy shit.

The view is magnificent. They are higher than the rest of Hilltop, facing All Blue. But even if the ocean water—so blue that it looks like a mirror to the sky—weren't there, the view would be impressive.

Right in front of them, underneath them, there is a valley, cut in half by a long, winding street filled with pedestrians. on either side, cliffs taller than the hilltop enclose the area, ending at the shore. But the people of Raftel have taken advantage of the hills, building their roads, homes, and business on the side of them. It looks as if the land itself has grown into beautiful gardens, long shopping streets, adobe homes and more. There are five bridges connecting the two hills, three of them thin and just wide enough for a couple of people to pass through. The other two are wider, big enough for businesses to settle there and have enough space for pedestrians to walk through. The bridges are far enough from each other not to block the city view, and low enough not to block the ocean.

"Look, you can see the Palace Road from here," Zoro says, pointing over to the wide road carved into the hill where the elite of the Raftel live.

"And the Mercato Nuevo," Sanji adds, pointing to the open-air loggia teeming with souvenir stands.

"And that street is so packed…must be a popular shopping strand," Zoro says. "And that park…man, the view must be amazing from there! It's right at the edge of the cliff!"

"What about that tower? The top is higher than the bridges…I wonder what's inside?"

"Looks fancy and expensive as shit."

"And look...don't those temples look like East Blue?"

"You're right, it's the same architecture. They're bigger and better taken care of, but it's the same thatched roofs, elevated floors, wooden structures…"

Sanji stares at the view, taking it all in. Being in Raftel…looking at the All Blue out there…he never wants to forget this. It's so goddamn beautiful. Now he can see why so many people visit the city, why it's so famous.

"Zoro…when people eat at my restaurant, I want them to know they're in Raftel," Sanji murmurs. "I don't want them to forget they're here, in this gorgeous city. Back at that other place, I felt as if I had been taken back to Dressrosa…but I want the opposite to happen here. I want people to feel as if their homes are being brought here. I want them to think holy shit, I just ate Abzhorka in Raftel! Do you get it?"

"Ab—what?"

"It's a meal native to some countries in the Red Line," Sanji explains, waving his hand to show it's not important. "But do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"Uh…kind of," Zoro shrugs, mouth twisting as he tries to think. "So…you want a Raftel-themed restaurant."

Sanji's mouth falls open. "You just…you just put it into words! Yes! A Raftel-themed restaurant! And I'm gonna name it…In Fine."

"What's that mean?"

"It means 'at the end' in the Ancient Tongue," Sanji murmurs. "Because that's where we are…at the end."

"It's gonna be hard," Zoro warns him, his gaze thoughtful as the stares out into the city.

Sanji raises an eyebrow and glares at his boyfriend. "Do you doubt me?"

Zoro grins and glances at him. "Never."

Sanji moves to lean against him. "Now comes the hard part."

"This was the easy part?"

"Of course! Now comes the business plan. I have to do a market analysis, check out how well the competition is doing, start on marketing, figure out what my business operation is going to be like, and check out my finances. After all the paperwork, I have to design the restaurant—the inside and out. Then I have to get all the permits and licenses in place before I can start building. Then I have to plan the menu, stock the place, hire the staff…it's gonna take me months!"

"You know you're going to have help, right?" Zoro says, wrapping Sanji's arms around his waist and leaning back against his chest. It seems he's finally figured out that he can't hug the cook from behind when he's the shorter of the two. "Franky said he was going to help you with the construction—I'm sure he'll help you with the design as well. And Nami is like a genius with all that business jargon or whatever. Vivi and Kaya, and I bet Robin, too, have a lot of connections up here—I mean, Vivi is a princess. And I'll help out whenever I can. You're not doing this alone, Sanji. I'm right here."

"Thank you," Sanji murmurs, planting a soft kiss to Zoro's temple.

"You're welcome, but I'm getting hungry, so let's go."

"Ooh, we can try the other restaurant up here. I think it's mostly West Blue cuisine. Best beer in the world."

"My kind of place."

Zoro wishes they can stay longer, but they leave early Monday morning because Zoro has his first practice match on Wednesday. They arrive just in time to check in with Zeff, and on Tuesday Zoro goes to visit Chopper while Sanji goes to talk to Robin. He needs her help handling the finer details of the business plan, plus Sanji wants to take Franky to Raftel sometime in the next month so they can start brainstorming designs for the restaurant. Sanji's goal is to start construction by the first of June.

On Wednesday, Zoro switches shifts with Rebecca since the practice match start at four. Koshiro decides to keep practices inside East Blue, and their first match is in Orange Town.  
Zoro doesn't participate in the matches, but he still goes to oversee his students, and is happy to see that they are much better than their challengers. Practice matches will run until the second week of April, and the Placing Matches will start two weeks later.

Sanji wishes he could go to Zoro's matches, though the swordsman assures him that he isn't getting much action. Still, Zoro is being such a great help with the restaurant, and Sanji wants to show him that he's interested in whatever Zoro likes.

He manages to make it to a couple of practice matches, but since Zoro still can't find a challenger, Sanji is more than happy to spar with him. They do draw a crowd, and most of the time they get told off by Koshiro, but it helps Zoro train, and Sanji is glad to be of help.

Just like Zoro said, Robin and Nami are just the help Sanji needs to expedite the process of building the restaurant's business plan. Both women are terrifying, but together, they're downright lethal.

Fortunately, since Robin and Nami are taking care of all of the legal crap, that leaves time for Sanji to take them and Frankie to Raftel a couple of days before the placing matches start.

"I'll be fine, Sanji," Zoro reassures when Sanji starts worrying about missing Zoro's match. "Besides, the important ones are the Finals, and you'll definitely go to those, right?"

"Right," Sanji promises.

Franky, Nami, Robin, and Sanji leave for Raftel that Friday, and Sanji rents out two rooms in the same hotel he and Zoro stayed at. In the morning, Sanji takes them to his lot. Just like Zoro and Sanji, the others are awed by the view.

"Wow, this is amazing," Nami sighs, staring out into the city. "I mean, people will come here just for this view!"

"I think nice, wide windows will do this place good," Franky adds.

"And we're right at the edge. It's very possible for people to fall and die," Robin adds, smiling softly.

Already used to Robin's morbid side, Sanji shrugs off the comment. "You see the buildings on the sides of the cliffs? And the older structures we saw back in the lower floor? How they just rise up as if the ground itself made them?"

"Yeah…" Franky says, studying the buildings Sanji points out.

"Those are oldest buildings in Raftel. The ruins in the cliffs have been turned into museums and parks, and the ones in the lower floor are mostly community spaces. These are the first buildings built in Raftel. They represent the true architecture of Raftel…I want my restaurant to look like them. The main materials should be wood and stone…the main feature, this view."

"I think I can work with that," Franky murmurs. "We're gonna have a lot of rough drafts, but I promise you we won't stop until we get the perfect building."

"I think it will work best if we visit all of the older buildings," Nami hums thoughtfully. "Raftel's soul is diversity, right? Yeah, it's fancy and high class, but everyone we've met is surprisingly down-to-earth. They're accepting, there's unity. I think the best way to represent the soul of Raftel would be for your restaurant to broadcast that unity. The main frame can be pure Raftel in structure, but the inside…cherry trees from East Blue, art from North Blue, cool and calming colors, like the coasts of South Blue."

"That sounds lovely," Sanji breathes. "Maybe a rustic feel, like West Blue, but fancier décor, like New World." The restaurant is slowly taking shape inside Sanji's. It's hazy, and it's not perfect, but he now has a rough idea they can work with.

"You know…I don't know why they call this a hill…hills have slopes," Nami frowns, looking over the edge. "This isn't a slope, it's a fall."

"Well, the slope is so steep it looks like a cliff from this side," Robin shrugs. "But the north starts with a shallower slope."

"The Marines cut this all off," Sanji explains. "I don't know why…I guess, for some reason, they wanted to block in the valley. I mean, the place is surrounded by cliff walls."

"I guess they didn't want to make it easy to get to All Blue," Franky shrugs. "How do you get down there, anyway?"

"They have bridges connecting the Hilltop to the other two cliffs," Sanji explains. "The one on the west is called Upper Mil and the one on the east is called Little World. Down there is All Blue Valley, and our hotel is the in the South Quad. If you keep going southwest, there's another bridge connecting Raftel to a small island called Nighton. Those are basically all the neighborhoods in the city."

"Why don't we go eat something, then we can explore the rest of the city?" Robin suggests. "Don't forget, you also have to start finding the businesses that are going to stock your restaurant, Sanji."

Sanji takes them to the third restaurant in Hilltop, the one he and Zoro didn't visit. It's a more laidback place, so they find mostly college students inside. After that, they separate.  
Franky and Sanji go study the architecture on Upper Mil and Little World, while Robin and Nami go back to the Marine base on the South Quad to get started on all of the permits and licenses Sanji has to complete.

They don't have to return home until Sunday evening, so they spent the weekend researching.

Raftel is a pretty united city. There's diversity, there's culture, there's tradition, there's hospitality, and an amazing nightlife. It's also one of the richest cities in the world, so everything is high class. It's a strange contrasts, but not one that Sanji dislikes.

Upper Mil reminds him of North Blue. It's the center of high fashion and art, with distinct traditional touches that remind the cook of his life beforeThe Orbit. Little World, however, stands at the complete opposition, a mecca of technology and innovation. Everything there is new and exciting, constantly striving to move into the future…it's New World, at its essence.

The South Quad is more of a residential area, a family friendly neighborhood where you can walk outside and start a deep and meaningful conversation with a complete stranger. Then there's Nighton. Aptly named, the whole island is like a haven for the city's youth. There's never a moment that is boring in Nighton, from musical plays performed out in the courtyards, to concerts that take on the whole night. And finally, there's All Blue Valley. There are no residential buildings in the area, since they are outlawed by the Marines. Instead, the whole valley is just one huge strand of shopping centers, markets, museums, parks…it's where most of the city congregates, and the most beautiful place in the entire city.

It's a place Sanji sees himself calling home. He can imagine himself looking for a new place, picking it out with Zoro so it suits both their tastes. He can see Chopper staying with them during school break, then moving to Raftel to enroll in medical school. He can picture himself down at the beach with Zoro and Chopper, happy and relaxed.

This is their future home.

Zoro's placing match starts on that last Monday of April, and due to some complications with the paperwork at the Marine's base, Sanji doesn't make it back home until Wednesday.

He's upset that he missed the match, but Zoro assures him that it doesn't matter

"I told you, just don't miss the Finals," Zoro says, echoing Franky's words. "That's where I'm gonna go against Mihawk. As the World's Greatest, he doesn't have to participate in the Tournament to prove his worth, but most of the time he goes to fight any challengers."

Sanji doesn't say anything. If he's being completely honest with himself, Sanji doesn't think Zoro will be able to defeat Mihawk. He feels horrible just thinking it, but Zoro isn't even strong enough to defeat him, how can he hope to stand up to the older swordsman? But Sanji knows that this is something Zoro has to do, and he also knows that he has to give Zoro his full support. This is Zoro's dream, this is Zoro's All Blue…Sanji can't keep him from going through with this.

"Will you be at my fight against him, Sanji?" Zoro asks quietly, his touch soft as he runs his fingers up the cook's arm

"Of course," Sanji replies, his voice firm. He hugs Zoro tighter, and doesn't say the three words he wants to say.

Vivi's birthday is that Friday and Luffy's is right around the corner on Monday, so they celebrate them together at Vivi's home on that Sunday. Zoro has another match that Friday, but he easily defeats the other man. Sanji and Chopper cheer loudly from the sidelines, and Sanji starts catcalling and wolf-whistling when he notices how deeply Zoro blushes when he does.

The third rounds won't start until the first of June, and that's still three weeks away. So Zoro spends every morning training. Since they're in the middle of the Tournament, classes at the dojo are put on hold, and that gives Zoro more time.

Sanji, too, works overtime.

Every morning, when Zoro leaves for the dojo, Sanji leaves for Galley-La. He and Franky work nonstop trying to draw the perfect restaurant, but it's never good enough. He knows he wants to have most of the tables facing the Valley, but then that leaves the kitchen to be in the front of the restaurant, which is weird. Or if he puts the kitchen on the side, then he needs to put the bathrooms near the front. And then they have to think about the waiting area, and the waiter's stations, and the bar…every single layout is just fucking wrong, and no matter how hard he tries, Sanji can't find the right layout.

It's already the last week of May, and Sanji only has a couple of half-formed designs ready. He and Franky decide to cut that day short, since tempers start to run high.

But Franky is a goddamn genius and he quickly comes up with a solution a few days later.

"Shit, this is amazing, Franky!" Sanji praises as he stares at the designs the cyborg presented him. "Using the same reinforced glass you used in my penthouse to extend the floor…imagine how amazing that would be!"

"Well, we still need to check if we're allowed to build in the air," Franky warns him. "And you might have to buy the air rights to build in there, but if they let you, then I think this design will work."

"I don't care if it costs a million Beris, this is perfect," Sanji says happily. "I'm gonna have a lot of extra cash once I sell all of my cars and the penthouse."

"When are you planning on moving to Raftel?" Franky asks curiously.

"Maybe not until after the restaurant is built," Sanji shrugs. "I want to give Zoro time to think about it, you know. I really want him to come with me, but he has a lot more tying him here than I do. I wouldn't want him to regret anything."

"I understand. I'm sure he's not going to mind," Franky shrugs. "It's not like Raftel is all the way across the world. How is he doing, anyway? Robin told me he was participating in the Grand Line Tournament."

"The third rounds started yesterday, but Zoro won't compete until Wednesday," Sanji says. "You should come see him. I can get you tickets."

"I would love to, but I'm taking Robin to the obstetrician on Wednesday," Franky says.

"Wait, what? What's wrong with Robin?" Sanji asks hurriedly.

"Nothing, calm down, Sanji," Franky laughs. "It's just that her symptoms don't seem to be matching what the doctor said would happen. She seems to be much farther along than just twenty-one weeks, so we might have the date of conception wrong. We just want to double check."

"Oh thank god," Sanji sighs, relieved. "You'll let me know if anything happens, though, right?"

"Of course," Franky promises. "You're the godfather, after all."

Sanji beams. "Fuck yeah, I am. But hey, I'll get you tickets to the second rounds, alright?"

"Sure thing, Sanji. Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Good. I'm gonna go and talk to Nami, see if she can help me get the permits necessary to start construction, but I love this design. I don't think we need to do any changes."

"Great. Let me know what she says."

He calls Nami to meet up with her, and she invites him over to her apartment. Kaya always plans an end of the year party for her students, and she has asked everyone to pitch in an help. Sanji, of course, is put in charge of the meal.

When he got to Nami's house, he's happy to see everyone there, including Zoro.

"Koshiro still isn't letting you practice?" Sanji asks him after he greets everyone and takes the seat next to him.

"Yeah. He even got Chopper in on it, so now I feel guilty every time I look at a weight," Zoro pouts.

"Aw, poor baby," Sanji smirks. "Well, I have good news. But I need to talk to Nami first."

"Eh? Why can't you tell me first?"

"Because if Nami says I can't do what I'm planning on doing, then it's not good news, now is it?"

"Tch. She's in the kitchen, with Kaya and Vivi."

"Thanks, marimo."

"Hello, Sanji," Nami greets. "Is the budget I gave you for the meal okay?"

"It's perfect, Nami," Sanji says, smiling softly. "I actually wanted to talk to you about the restaurant. Franky figured out a way to expand the seating floor, but it requires using the reinforced glass I have at home as a floor over the cliff. You know, like an invisible floor? We are just wondering if we would need a permit for that or something."

"Oh, that actually sounds really cool!" Vivi exclaims, beaming.

"The view from there would be amazing," Nami agrees. "I can definitely look into it. Give me a couple of days, and I'll let you know."

"Of course, Nami-swan!"

Nami gives him the good news on Kaya's party that he's allowed to build in the air space outside of his lot. He just simply has to buy the area as if it were actual land and let the Marines inspect it as soon as construction is finished to make sure it's safe. There's a lot of paperwork that has to be done, and Franky has to do a lot of finishing touches to the design before they can start construction, but the cyborg promises that they can start construction in July.

Monday arrives, and with it, the second rounds.

Zoro is scheduled to three fights. One opponent is a Marine from Enies Lobby, the other is a Shandian warrior from Skypiea, and the third is from New World.

"So if Zoro-ya wins, he'll go the finals and fight against Mihawk-ya?" Law questions.

Everybody except Kid and Bonney, who are working, is seated in the row of seats Zoro saved for them. Luffy invited Law, and Sanji suspects they're dating now, though neither man has confirmed it.

"Yes," Ace answers, since he's the one that knows the most about these types of competitions. "It's been a while since Mihawk has taken any challengers, but he accepted Zoro's."

"That's because Dad is super strong," Chopper pipes in excitedly.

"Your Dad is gonna kick ass," Sanji grins, patting Chopper's head. "Just watch him."

"Go Zoro!" Luffy yells out suddenly

"He's not out there yet, Luffy," Sabo chides. "His fight starts in twenty minutes."

"Aw."

"I can't believe I'm paying good money to see this," Nami sighs. "I already know how everything is going to play out. Zoro is gonna cut up some guys, then he'll get an even bigger head."

"You're totally right, Nami-swan!" Sanji exclaims happily.

"Ah! I forgot, we have super good news!" Franky exclaims suddenly, getting their attention. "Do you want to do the honors, babe?"

"I thought we were going to wait for Zoro," Robin says.

"Nah, I'm too excited! We can tell him after his fight!"

"What is it?" Koala asks excitedly, turning around to look up at the couple. "Do you know if it's going to be a girl or a boy already?"

"Please let it be a girl!" Sanji pleas.

"It's going to be a boy," Robin says, smiling.

"And a boy," Franky adds.

"Wait…what?"

"We're having twins!" Franky yells, catching the attention of most of the stadium. "I'm gonna be a father of twins!"

"Oh my god!"

"Robin!"  
"Congratulations!"

Everyone erupts in cheers, including the strangers that heard Franky's yell. Franky starts crying and thanking them deeply, hugging Robin to himself and yelling about how much he loves her.

"I'm gonna have two godsons?" Sanji gaps, staring imploringly at Robin.

"Actually…we were thinking of making Zoro and Koala the godparents of our other boy," Robin says, looking at her friend. "Since you and Iceburg will already be the godparents of our firstborn."

"I would love to!" Koala exclaims excitedly. "Robin, thank you!"

"I'm gonna have a brother?!" Chopper squeals. "Yay!"

"A godbrother," Sanji corrects.

"And you're going to have two," Koala adds, pointing to her own, swollen belly.

"Yes! I'm gonna be the greatest older brother ever!"

"Hey, I'm the greatest oldest brother ever," Ace exclaims, insulted. "Right, Luffy?"

"Yes!"

"Nah-uh! I'm gonna be!"

"No, I am!"

"Ace, stop fighting with Chopper," Marco admonishes.

"He started!"

Sanji rolls his eyes as the argument escalates when Sabo jumps in. A strange feeling courses through him, and he frowns. Slowly, he extends the edges of his conscious, feeling around him until he reaches the force that is making his body go into flight-or-fight mode. His eyes snap open, and he lets out a slow breath.

Mihawk is here.

Zoro is feeling pretty confident. His first fight against the Marine was a total win with Zoro defeating the other man with ease. He could hear Sanji and Chopper cheering for him from the sidelines, right along with the others that had come out to see him. He was feeling on top of the world, and not even the sight of Saga could psyche him out.

And then he meets with Mihawk.

The man has not changed much in appearance since Zoro last saw him, almost six years ago. Just a few age lines that mark his age and slightly longer hair. But those yellow eyes are still the same sharp, all-too-seeing eyes of a hawk, and Zoro can't help but feel nervous when he meets them.

"Roronoa Zoro. I did not expect to see you here."

"I told you my dream," Zoro answers firmly, a hand falling on top of Wado on his waist. I will defeat you and my name will be heard even in the heavens. "I'm going to defeat you."

"I thought I told you I don't fight every bug that comes my way."

Zoro's eyes narrow and he growls. "I am not a bug. I may have lost our first fight, but I've grown stronger since then."

"You have trained well," Mihawk agrees. "But you are not the man I fought anymore. I did not think it took such a small wound to break your spirit. What a pity."

"Hey, where are you going?" Zoro yells as Mihawk walks away as soon as he's finished speaking. What the fuck is he even talking about? Zoro's spirit isn't broken! He's here, isn't  
he? He's here to challenge Mihawk, and he's smarter now. He knows he's not strong enough to defeat the other man, so he will fight smart. He will show that bastard just how strong his will is.

With an angry huff Zoro turns away from the retreating form of the other swordsman and comes face to face with Saga.

"He really is the best," Saga murmurs, his eyes on Mihawk. "He saw it within seconds. And it took me weeks to see."

"Shut the fuck up," Zoro growls. "Both of you are wrong." He pushes past the other man, maybe hitting his shoulder a bit harder than strictly necessary. He doesn't have time to waste on Saga. His next fight is coming up.

Zoro is able to calm down once he enters the fighting ring. He can hear the others cheering—well, Nami is yelling at Luffy, but when is she ever not?—and he smiles as his next opponent comes up.

The man is wearing protective clothing, like the ones students use during practice. The large mask covers his face, and a padded shield covers his chest. The man is larger than Zoro, about a foot taller. He carries a simple sword in his hand, the blade shining dully and cracked in a few places.

This man made it to the finals? What the hell?

Zoro snorts and takes out only Yubashiri as he steps to face his opponent. Another easy win. Hopefully, the Shandian will be more of a challenge.

The referee starts the match, and they move simultaneously.

With the first strike, Zoro knows he underestimated the man. His weapon is poor, but the man is strong and skilled. Zoro fights for the upper hand within the first exchange of blows, but is quickly put in the defensive. Not only is the man on par with Zoro's technique, he's also just as physically strong.

The man strikes at Zoro's shoulder, the blunt edge of the sword hitting the collar bone and sending sparks of pain shooting down Zoro's arm. He quickly jumps away before the man can get to his neck, and moves Yubashiri to his right arm. He moves again before he can fall further in the defensive, using a quick bit of footwork that he learned from the few times he and Sanji sparred. He doesn't pull it off as well as the blonde, but it's enough to knock the other man a few steps back.

Zoro doesn't let up, following the first attack with a series of quick strikes that the other man barely manages to block. Zoro strikes forward, moving to unsheathed Kitetsu, but the sound of a blade shattering stops him. For just one moment, he's frozen as he stares at the pieces of Yubashiri's blade fall to the ground.

His sword is broken.

Zoro looks at the other man, eyes widened when he sees that he has discarded his cracked blade. Instead, the man's entire armed has formed a wide and wicked blade, the edge shining razor sharp.

Zoro has seen that ability before, and his mouth opens to say the man's name, but before he can do so, pain explodes in his chest and he's knocked back.

A splatter of board. A shrill scream. Extreme pain.

It all happens in seconds, but to Zoro it seems like hours.

"Law!"

"Room! Shambles!"

Zoro feels something tug in his stomach, and then he's no longer splayed in the mat, bleeding out from the wound Mihawk gave him and Bones just reopened. Instead, he's sitting next to Law, who is trying to push him back and stop the bleeding. He can see Chopper crying in Nami's arms, Franky holding back Sabo, Marco holding up Ace, and Robin, Vivi, and Kaya trying to hold back Luffy.

But his eyes are on Sanji. Sanji, who replaced his place in the mat and is staring up at Daz Bones with hatred in his eyes. Sanji, whose body looks locked with anger, his hands fisted at his sides, his mouth twisted in a scowl. Sanji, whose body is literally aflame, the heat of his fire reaching Zoro.

Zoro blinks, and Sanji moves.

Sanji twists, coiling his body, then springs forward, his leg ablaze. He's too fast for Bones, and his leg hits squarely. The sound of bones breaking is loud, but Sanji doesn't stop there and lands back on his feet to deliver a roundhouse kick that hits the Devil's Fruit user in the stomach. The large man caves in and the cooks pushes through until the man lands on his back.

Everything darkens for a moment, and when Zoro is able to focus again, Law is in his field of vision.

"Zoro-ya, the wound isn't deep, but you've lost a lot of blood. I need to take you to the hospital and give you a transfusion."

"Sanji…."

"Sanji will be fine, Zoro," Law says. "He will defeat Bones for you."

Zoro loses consciousness before he can say anything else.

Zoro wakes up to the sound of voices.  
"…Robin will take care of it…they never do anything right….arrested, but he won't stay…he will be upset..."

The voices slowly fade as Franky, Nami, and Kaya walk away.

Zoro stares up at the ceiling, listening to the slow murmurs of machines all around him as he tries to gather his thoughts.

He fought Bones. And lost. The man who ruined his life, the man Zoro hates more than anyone else in the world—and Zoro wasn't able to defeat him. Instead, Sanji took over and did it for him. He doesn't doubt it for one second. Sanji was terrifying in his anger.

It's the first time Zoro has seen him fighting seriously.

He will defeat Bones for you.

Sanji stepped in only because Zoro wasn't strong enough to defeat Bones. With just one strike, the other man paralyzed him. He reopened Mihawk's wound and Zoro froze.  
It didn't even fucking hurt as bad as when Mihawk attacked him. It's just a flesh wound, the stitched skin ripped apart—the wound isn't as deep, or as precise as the one Mihawk delivered. So why died it freeze him like that?

Why did it make his mind shut down in fear?

I did not think it took such a small wound to break your spirit.

"Fuck," Zoro curses, closing his eyes as shame floods his senses.

You're not gonna be able to use Chopper as an excuse forever, Zoro!

How could he have let this happen? How could he have been such a coward?

Saga is totally right.

Zoro is using Chopper as an excuse. Not because he's afraid of Mihawk, but because he's afraid he doesn't have what it takes to defeat the man. Zoro had been full of confidence, childish and stupid as he faced the greater man, and he had paid for it. The wound had almost killed him. It was painful and ugly and it ripped him apart. It made him feel small and insignificant, a small fish in the ocean. It made him realize just how weak he really was, how much he still had to achieve.

And instead of training to get better, of hitting the mats again and working to get better until he' was sweating blood and pain…he hid behind Chopper.

Alice told him about Chopper weeks after his fight with Mihawk. He was already healing, his naturally fast-healing working to make him better, get him ready again. He told himself he would fight Mihawk again, but when Chopper arrived, Zoro easily gave up his dreams.

And part of it was because he loves Chopper and would do anything for the young boy. But Zoro was the one who closed all the doors for himself. Because Saga had never been jealous of Chopper. Saga had never wanted to stand between Zoro and his son.

Saga simply wanted to encourage him to get back to training. He offered solutions to problems Zoro didn't want solved. He offered his support and was willing to shoulder half the responsibility so that Zoro could go back to fighting for his dreams.

And Zoro couldn't have that. Zoro was content pretending that he was simply putting his life on hold until Chopper grew old enough to take care of himself. He broke up with Saga, realizing the man was expendable. He pushed his friends away, knowing that their help would make things easier. He buried himself under his pride and pretended that life simply was hard for a single father trying to feed his child. When it was only his own stupid pride and fear that kept him in poverty and hunger.

And then he met Sanji. A man that could offer a solution to every problem he ever had. A man Zoro wanted to touch since the first moment he saw. Sanji was just like Saga, offering his support every step of the way. Taking Zoro's responsibilities for himself. Breaking down every barrier Zoro put up.

But unlike Saga, Sanji wasn't expendable. Zoro couldn't keep away from him. Every time he tried to push the blonde away, treated him coldly and shut the door in his face, Sanji came back. And Zoro started looking forward to that.

And soon enough, his longing for the other man was stronger than his fear. And he fell for Sanji. Let Sanji break down most of his barriers and push him forward to face Mihawk.  
All the while, letting resentment fester. Telling himself that he resented Sanji's wealth, when he had never cared about such things before. Ignoring the feelings of inadequacy that arose every time he realized how big the gap in strength was between himself and Sanji. When he had found something wrong with the man, the first thing that wasn't perfect about the blonde, he gripped it tight and attacked. But Sanji's confession had robbed him of that excuse. He couldn't force himself to hate Sanji for being born a Celestial Dragon. He couldn't push Sanji away and pretend he didn't care for him.

Then Sanji received the opportunity to fulfill his dream, and Zoro had the perfect excuse to put his own on hold again. How could he deny Sanji's All Blue after all that Sanji had done for him? He told himself he didn't care if he put his dream on hold one more time. What was a year, after all?

It's all just fucking excuses.

But he's done making excuses. He's done pretending to not know. He's done hiding. He's done being afraid. Because he's Roronoa-fucking-Zoro and he doesn't do fear.

He loves Sanji. He's known it for a while now. He felt it when he saw the blonde cry for the first time. He knew it when he looked at the way Robin looks at Franky and realized it was the same look he gives the blonde. He ignored the feeling when Chopper found that perfect cologne that made him ache for Sanji, and he ignored it when he bought the All Blue orb that he knew Sanji would love.

And it's so fucked up that he's finally admitting it now that he has decided to drop all pretenses. It's so fucking unfair.

Zoro will become the greatest swordsman in the world. And if he has to die for that title…then so be it.

He gets up off the bed and slips out of the room. He pushes past the people walking around until he can find the exit. His feet touch concrete and he starts running. He runs until the streets stop moving, until he can admit that he's seriously lost, until his breath is coming out in dry heaves.

He runs until he gets to where he needs to be. Because no matter how much people say he's always getting lost, Zoro knows his feet always take him to where he's supposed to be.

He knocks on the plain door and waits until it opens.

"Roronoa."

"Mihawk."

And where he needs to be is right here.

Luffy is the only one who doesn't ask him to reconsider. He only looks at Zoro from under his straw hat and listens as he finishes his explanation.

"But Dad, you can't!" Chopper exclaims tearfully.

"That's right! You can't do this to Sanji!" Nami says angrily.

"He's in jail right now for helping you!" Usopp bravely adds. "You can't give him news like this!"

"That's enough," Luffy cuts in quietly. He and Zoro haven't broken eye contact, and the swordsman knows that his friend can read the determination in his eyes. "I'm glad to see that fire in your eyes again, Zoro."

Zoro smirks and nods. "It took a while to get it to burn again."

Luffy smiles too, that wide grin that always makes Zoro think things are going to be okay. "Yosh! We'll take care of Chopper and Sanji for you, Zoro! You don't have to worry at all."

"Luffy!"

"Thank you, Luffy," Zoro says, ignoring Nami and getting to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Usopp asks, confused.

"I need to speak to Sanji," Zoro says. "Before I leave."

They don't try to stop him. They know his mind is made up. Mihawk only gave him a few hours to say goodbye, and he spent most of the time trying to find his way to Luffy's apartment.

He gets to Sanji with only twenty minutes to spare.

The man is seated in the concrete bar behind bars, leaning back against the hard wall and smoking a cigarette. He looks completely relaxed, without a care in the world.

"Hey, cook."

Sanji glances at him and smiles. "Hey, marimo. How are you feeling?"

Zoro makes a face at the reminder of his feinting spell. "I'm fine," he mutters. He notices the angry red marks around Sanji's wrists and frowns. "How are your hands?"

"They're fine," Sanji says, covering the marks with his jacket. "And how's Chopper?

"Chopper? He's fine," Zoro says, confused by the line of questioning.

"Really? That's good," Sanji sighs. "I didn't want him to see me beating up Bones, but I kind of lost my temper."

"He's seen me fight plenty of times," Zoro says. "Unfortunately, he's used to seeing things like that."

"Still, I left Bones pretty messed up."

Zoro makes a noncommittal sound. "What about your record? Doesn't it have to be clean to be able to stay in Raftel?"

"Robin took care of that," Sanji assures him. "The Marines are glad I put Crocodile's second in the hospital, where they can wait until he wakes up to send him to Impel Down."

"Good," Zoro says, and silence falls between them. Zoro doesn't know how to bring up his upcoming departure, but he can tell that Sanji senses something's wrong. He hides it  
well, but Zoro knows how to read him.

"Sanji…I asked Mihawk if he could train me. And he said yes."

Sanji's eyes widen, then smiles brightly. "Really? That's awesome! Holy shit, Zoro!"

"Yeah," Zoro murmurs. "You know, the first time he fought me, he defeated me using a blade the size of his pinky. There I was, with my three swords in all of my glorious stupidity…and Mihawk fucking takes out a tiny as fuck blade—and defeats me."

Sanji frowns and stares at him curiously. He doesn't say anything, no words of comfort or pity. He just stays silent and waits for Zoro to speak. Sanji has always been perfect like that.

"I cannot defeat Mihawk in the level I am now. I got on my knees and I put away my pride to ask him to train me. You put Crocodile away. Chopper is going to move in with Usopp so he can continue going to school. The others have assured me that they will take care of him while I'm...while I'm gone."

"While you're gone?" Sanji repeats, his voice small. His curiosity turns to confusion. "You're…leaving?"

"This is my dream, Sanji," Zoro says softly. "I've been running away from it for far too long. And the longer I stay here, the farther away it gets."

"The longer you stay here with me, you mean," Sanji says, his voice empty.

"I cannot follow you when my dream leads me the other way," Zoro finally answers. Sanji makes a small wounded noise, and Zoro resist the urge to touch his hair. "This is isn't something you can help me with. I need to do this alone."

"So you're breaking up with me?" Sanji hisses angrily, gripping the cell bars tightly. They're made out of Seastone so they don't crumple under his grip.

Zoro ignores the question. He doesn't want to answer it. He doesn't want to break what he and Sanji have.

"I will be gone for years, Sanji," he says carefully. "I have a lot of work to do. Mihawk lives in some shit island halfway across the world, and I don't know when I'm coming back. Sanji, you cannot ask me to stay with you."

Sanji laughs hollowly and the fights seems to leave him, leaving him with sagging shoulders. "Yeah, I know," he says. "And even if I asked, you would still say no."

"I'm sorry," Zoro says, knowing the word isn't enough. Sanji doesn't say anything but simply takes another drag of his cigarette. The smell of it is strong, and Zoro finds himself thinking of how much he's going to miss the acrid smell.

There's nothing else to say, so he turns his back and walks way.

Before the doors close completely behind him, he hears Sanji speak.

"You know, if in the future you're ever nearby, you should stop and check out the restaurant."

Zoro smiles, but doesn't reply.

The doors slam close behind him, and Zoro leaves Sanji behind.

* * *

 **A/N: Ah, so I'm finally done with this story! Yeah. So...if you don't like the ending, there's good news for you! There's a second part. Actually, there's three :) The second part is seven chapters, but I'll be posting it all at once. To all the people who left reviews, I thank you so much. I read and loved each one but I didn't reply because I'm a nervous wreck who couldn't figure out what to write. That, and I'm still not used to FFNet :( Anyway, I love you guys and thanks for giving this story a chance!**


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